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THE LIV^G FIRE^ 3 ? 

The Soul Power of the Universe 



JESSIE ROGERS 



Deep down in our natures speaks the voice of our God 



"Yet I doubt not through the ages one increasing purpose runs. 
And the thoughts of men are widened with the ])rocess of the suns." 

— TENNYSON 



Second and Enlarged Edition 



BATTLE CREEK, MICH. 
OCCULT PUBLISHING COMPANY 

1908 






ao 



LIBRARY of CONFESS 
1 wo ooDies oeceivtft; 

JUN 26 1908 



0LAS9 /4 AXc. Nu 

i 22EL. a. ^ 



COPYRIGHTED t908 
BY THE AVTlIol! 



m 



^ 



DEDICATION 

To my dear friend, Jerome C. Ry- 
an, who has been my faithful cham- 
pion and assisted me both financially 
and otherwise, to my beloved mother 
whose loving counsel I have so sadly 
missed, and to those other friends 
who have been faithful and true, 
this book is lovingly dedicated by 

THE AUTHOR. 



FOREWORD 

Prom times ancient beyond conjecture the 
restless spirit of man has been seeking to 
discover, if possible, the real source of being 
— the how and the why, the whence and the 
whither of existence, but it is a problem that 
has been ever elusive to his finite understand- 
ing, for the finite cannot grasp the infinite. 

The great majority of the human race are 
so occupied with the outer and meaningless 
forms, so prone to follow after the material 
and fleeting pleasures of life that they fail to 
come in touch with the inner sense of things 
and seldom catch even a gleam of that "inner^ 
most light" which illuminates the darkness 
that envelops them. Yet in all ages, and in 
every nation and clime there have always lived 
a few gifted souls who were able to peer be- 
neath the material envelope, there to unveil 
the mysteries of Nature and behold the glories 
of the Divine. These inspired ones have given 
expressions to the wonders they have discov- 
ered in language so sublime that we are hushed 



6 FOREWORD 

almost into silence by reverence and awe. 
Students of the present age can find no more 
interesting study than the works of these 
grand "Old Masters," who have left behind 
them, hidden from the profane under mystic 
symbols and allegories and revealed only to 
the Initiate, a heritage richer than the " mines 
of King Solomon " and more valuable than the 
"gold of Ophir. " 

For many centuries this knowledge was sup- 
posed to have been lost, but, in reality, it was 
only hidden, or lost sight of by an ignorant 
people of a materialistic age, who knew not its 
value nor how to use it. It was kept sacred 
by those who possessed it, hidden in secret 
crypts of occult Fraternities, until the time 
should come for it to be brought forth to lead 
mankind back to a realization of his own God- 
hood. 

All human progress runs in cycles. We 
have just emerged from the age of material 
darkness and entered a cycle of spiritual light. 
Our earth having passed from the sign of the 
Fishes (Pisces) typical of materiality, into the 
sign of Aquarius, enlightenment, human prog- 






FOREWORD 7 

ress has received a new impetus, and in this 
age of spiritual unfoldment the doors of the 
temples are being opened to those who are able 
to understand, the work is being aided by 
those who know, and the old "Wisdom Relig- 
ion" is destined to again illumine the world. 
The Living Fire (life) has forever been burn- 
ing, though the true interpretation of it has 
been lost, and the bush (flesh) where God (the 
Self) dwells, burns, but is not consumed. 

Standing upon the sublime heights of spir- 
itual attainment to which their progress 
through ages has elevated them, pointing the 
way to Deity, whom they teach, "dwells with- 
in the Shadow, behind the everlasting flame " 
claiming that "God is not the Light, but the 
unfathomable shadow, the unreachable 
Centre, the impenetrable,- the unimagina- 
ble majeste, utterly past discovery, — and 
who as we approach, ever recedes, luring us 
through illimitable ages and epochs, up the 
steep mountains of Achievement — the whole 
end of man's being." 

These Adepts and Perfect Masters stand as 
beacon lights to lead us onward through the 



8 FOREWORD 

foglands of ignorance, superstitition and unbe- 
lief, into the radiant light of Truth and Knowl- 
edge, and it is to acquaint the student with 
these teachings and help him onward in the 
Path of discovery that this book is written. 

The Author. 



The Mystery of Fire 

TF the mystery of self-knowledge is ever to 
* be solved and the answer rendered to the 
I am of mortal existence, the solution must 
come from the realm of true knowledge, from 
the very innermost recesses of the soul. We 
must look beneath the physical into the meta- 
physical causes which produce all physical 
effects and are the controlling forces of all ex- 
istences. Physical science may enumerate 
and name the bones, describe the forms and 
functions of the various organs, dissect and 
analyze the minutest portions of the human 
body, but it car tell us nothing of the life that 
animates it, of the wonderful being who inhab- 
its the physical structure. 

Investigation conducted along any one line 
or by one method alone must fail. In order 
to apprehend the whole truth we must study 
the past, the present and the future, also that 
which acts and that which is acted upon. We 
must study both spirit and matter, both the 
invisible and the visible: the one by the inves- 
2 9 



10 THE LIVING FIRE 

titrations of physical science, the other by the 
light and illumination of the Soul. In order 
to conduct our investigations, successfully we 
must deal with both theory and facts. Theory 
must lead us on to discover new facts and 
facts will ever cause us to evolve new theories, 
intuition will guide us and phenomena will 
spur us on to renewed effort until, having trav- 
ersed every avenue of knowledge, having ex- 
hausted every method, we will be able to ex- 
claim "Eureka." But every individual must 
travel the Path for himself, he must arrive at 
his own conclusions, he must work out his own 
salvation. 

THE SOLAR UNIVERSE 

As in all nature we find the trinity, so 
in this great Solar Universe of which the 
earth is a part we find three elements, viz: 
Matter, Force Spirit. It is not within the 
scope of this work to go into any explanation 
of the properties of matter, for everybody is 
more or less famil ia r with the scientific investi- 
gations along that line. It is our purpose to 
investigate and understand, as well as we may, 



THE MYSTERY OF FIRE 11 

the unseen, silent, spiritual forces which act 
upon and move matter and imbue it with life 
and intelligence. We have had numberless 
physical scientists and chemists to study and 
explain matter, 'most of whom have been con- 
tent to study effects rather than seek for 
causes, and only an occasional one to catch a 
glimpse of the deep underlying principle which 
is the cause of all manifestation. Under cover 
of a pretended search for the "art of making 
gold" the old Alchemists of the middle ages 
were really students of the chemistry of spirit, 
for alchemy is the soul of chemistry as astrol- 
ogy is the soul of astronomy. Such expressions 
as the "Philosopher's Stone," "Elixir Vitae," 
"Universal Solvent," "transmutation of met- 
als " have a spiritual significance entirely un- 
known to the modern material scientist. They 
then meant and still mean vastly more than 
appears on the surface, for they relate to the 
innermost essense, the very "soul of things" 
rather than to the material elements. The 
"Philosopher's Stone " and the mystic "Elixir 
Vitas" have a real existence and may be dis- 
covered by those who diligently search. 



12 THE LIVING FIRE 

There are spirits of light who point out the 
way along which humanity must travel. Such 
were the Alchemists and Philosophers. There 
aie souls of fire, cloud enveloped, from whom 
the lightning flashes of genius burst forth in 
luminous rays to light humanity along its 
pathway. Such an one was Paracelsus, one 
of the greatest of all the Alchemists. A single 
extract from his writings is sufficient to show 
the real object of their researches. 

"Away with these false disciples who hold 
that this divine science, which they dishonor 
and prostitute, has no other end than that of 
making gold and silver. True Alchemy has 
but one aim and object, to extract the quint- 
essence of things, to separate the active por- 
tion (the spirit) from the passive; this is the 
true province of Alchemy." 

There is a spirit at work beneath the out- 
side shell. What is written on this shell no 
one but the Initiate who has learned to sepa- 
rate the real from the apparent can read. 






THE MYSTERY OF FIRE 13 

FORCE 

This spirit is the element we have designat- 
ed as Force. It is the lire or life principle of 
being. It is the hidden living lire which per- 
meates all space and charges every atom of 
matter with its own unresting and resistless 
energy. It is not matter but the principal or 
force which moves matter. It is electricity 
in the air; magnetism in the earth; galvanism 
between different metallic particles ; it is life 
in plants, animals and human beings and forms 
the astral bodies of spirits. It is Siva, the 
Destroyer or Transformer of the Hindu 
Trinity. 

Force has two attributes, attraction and .re- 
pulsion, which constitute the positive and neg- 
ative principles of nature. Of this force the 
Hindu Philosopher speaks thus : 

"There exists in the Universe, a pure, all- 
pervading fluid, invisible, fiery, radiant, wholly 
divine, free from the taint of matter, purer 
than ether, stronger than the loadstone, might- 
ier than the thunderbolt, swifter than the 
winged lightning. It is heat, light, motion, 



14 THE LIVING FIRE 

force; the Soul principle of Being — not Soul, 
but its power of life, being and motion. It 
connects Gods and Men, Heaven and Earth. 
It is the strength, that is, cohesive element, 
in minerals; the growing power of plants; the 
life of men and animals — it is the Astral Fluid, 
which in nature is the Astral Light, in anima 
ted bodies the Astral Spirit, in substance the 
Astral fluid. It is the last end of the staff by 
which the divine hand of spirit touches earth. " 

The Living Fire is one of the occult sciences 
which for thousands of years was known only 
to the priestly class and it was into this secret 
that Moses was initiated at Heliopolis where 
he was educated, and Jesus, the Christ, among 
the Essenian priests at Jerusalem. That this 
knowledge was highly prized is revealed in 
the following glowing terms by one of it vot- 
aries. 

"The knowledge of this magnetic fluid is the 
most precious gift of Divine Providence. It 
is the mysterious key that opens to our dazzled 
intelligence the world of truth and light and 
joins the finite to the infinite. It is the chain 
of gold so often chanted by the poet, the basis 



THE MYSTERY OF FIRE 15 

of that secret philosophy that Democritus, 
Plato and Pythagoras traveled to Egypt to de- 
mand of the Hierophants of Memphis and the 
Gymnosophists of India. Invisible to the 
eyes of the senses it must be studied by the 
vision of the soul as seen in the rapt gaze of 
the somnambulist. In other days the truth 
was heard proceeding from the lips of the ini- 
tiating priest; today we see it in the eyes of 
the clairvoyant. A magnetic fluid, very subtle, 
placed in the human race between the soul and 
the body, it circulates in all the nerves ; and is 
particularly abundant in the great sympa- 
thetic of the healthy subject, it constitutes the 
spirit of the living being. Its color, that of 
fire, or the electric spark, induced the name 
of living lire given to it in the works of the 
Magicians of Persia, and of intimate star in 
those of the Alchemists and Astrologers of the 
middle ages. One .of its principle virtues is 
its generative power, hence the sacred book 
gives it the name regenerating fire. Soul of the 
world, universal spirit permeating all nature, 
it is the essence and vital spark of all it ani- 
mates, of all orders of beings, classes and 



16 THE LIVING FIRE 

races in which it is incarnated and is pro- 
foundly modified by all through which it 
passes." 

It is a science that an illustrious Doninican 
calls ''a piece broken from a grand palace, a 
ray from the Adamic power, destined to con- 
found human reason and humiliate it before 
God, a phenomenon belonging to the prophetic 
order." 

The fire element is an imponderable vital 
essence, prevading all space and filling all mat- 
ter with its living power. " It is so light that 
it weighs nothing ; so expansive that it reaches 
everywhere; travels so fast that it consumes 
no time; goes so far that it overcomes all dis- 
tance; continues so long that it lasts forever 
and is so full of life that it never dies. Being 
in everything it manifests accordingly. We 
see it manifesting in the magnetic iron, in the 
effervescing chemical; in the stimulating vege- 
table; in the magnetic bush; in the electric 
eel; in the charming- serpent; in the fascinat- 
ing woman; and in the magnetic man. It 
Hashes in the air, sparkles in the mineral, 
blooms in the vegetable, feels in the worm, 



THE MYSTERY OF FIRE 17 

thinks in the animal, reasons in the human, 
and shines resplendent in the soul, full of love 
and wisdom, radiant with immortality and 
eternal life." 

As there are many different grades of mat- 
ter from the atom, rock, tree, animal and hu- 
man, up to perfected matter, so the element 
of Fire has many grades and degrees of mani- 
festation, from the primary spark to heat, 
light, electricity and magnetism up to the fin- 
est and most sublime manifestations of Spirit. 

Fire is modified by all matter through 
which it passes. As it is condensed in the 
human body it is transformed to the uses of 
the individual and then becomes an intelligent 
individualized entity and when united to the 
Deity becomes immortal. 

Spirit, Matter and Force are so closely con- 
nected and interwoven throughout all nature 
that they cannot be separated, yet each has 
its attributes which we may know and under-, 
stand, at least to a certain extent. 

SPIRIT 

"Spirit is the one primordial, uncreated, 
3 



18 ' THE LIVING FIRE 

eternal, infinite Alpha and Omega of Being". 
It may have subsisted independent of Force 
and Matter, evolving both from its own incom- 
prehensible but illimitable perfection; but 
Force and Matter could never have originated 
Spirit, as its one sole attribute comprehends 
and embraces all others, must antedate, gov- 
ern, and surpass all others, and is itself the 
cause of all effects. That attribute is Will. 

Spirit is the First Great Cause. It is the 
first and only element of Being and its exist- 
ence is infinite and eternal. It contains with- 
in itself all the elements of creation and 
through its inherent desire to create and by 
its power of Will it divided itself and these 
particles are ever and anon seeking each other, 
and thus was the element of Force evolved. 
Then came matter and by the action of Force 
on Matter the Uncreated Soul evolved form 
and order. 

In Matter, Force and Spirit we have that 
grand Trinity of Being, which constitutes the 
great Solar Universe and all it contains, and 
which, taken as a whole, forms the Ego we 
vaguely call God, the separated units of which 






THE MYSTERY OF FIRE 19 

include systems, suns, worlds, spirits, men, 
and animate and inanimate things. 

While Force has two attributes, attraction 
and repulsion, Spirit has only o_ne, namely, 
Will, but there are many emanations of Will, 
the most important of which are Love, Wis- 
dom and Power; Creation, Preservation and 
Progress; Life, Death and Regeneration. 
These are the ten emanations which form the* 
archetypal Man.* 

All existence originates in Spirit. Matter 
creates nothing. It is only the mold which 
Spirit uses on which to engrave its Divine 
ideals and Fire is its instrument. 

Spirit is a form of Fire but it is a fire with- 
out heat. In some of the ancient writings it is 
termed the "Celestial Fire. " "It is the true 
Spirit Light, which invests itself in Fire as a 
mask, in which alone it can possibly act on 
matter." This Fire which Spirit uses as a 
mask is the Astral Light and the union of the 
Celestial Fire and the Astral Light constitutes 
the Soul of the Universe. 

*See " Kabbalistic Key " by same author. 



20 THE LIVING FIRE 

THE CENTRAL SUN OF BEING 

The Solar System of which our earth is a 
part, moves around the physical sun as a cen- 
ter of light, heat and attraction. 

By well-defined astronomical law we know 
that this Solar System forms only a part of a 
larger and grander aggregation of starry 
worlds, called the Astral System. 

We are not able to arrive at the center of 
this system, yet astronomical observations 
point toward such a centre, and the known 
laws of Science demonstrate that in the visible 
universe, all motion proceeds in a circle, and 
is sustained by action and reaction, or the cen- 
trifugal and centripetal force. It is conceded 
that all the planets, stars, and worlds that 
have yet been discovered are only a part of a 
vast array of systems which occupy the spaces 
of the sidereal heavens, yet beyond, far beyond 
that unknown center are still more boundless 
realms, where the glass of the astronomer 
cannot penetrate, and where the human mind 
becomes lost in the contemplation of the vast- 
ness of Infinity. 






THE MYSTERY OF FIRE 21 

"The law which rounds a dewdrop shapes a 
world" and the same fixed and unchangeable 
principle prevails throughout space. Physi- 
cal science cannot pierce into the Astral Cen- 
tre, yet we know by analogy and by spiritual 
revelation that that centre exists, and it is shut 
out from human discovery only by human 
ignorance and incapacity. This grand Cen- 
tral Sun is God. 

"God is Spirit and the eternal, uncreated, 
self existent, and infinite realm of Spirit is 
God. God is the dispenser of heat and light, 
the two elements in being which account for 
generation and revelation, love and wisdom, 
life and sense. This Spiritual Sun throws off 
from the centre the elements of new-created 
worlds by centrifugal force, and draws them 
back and keeps them in determinate orbits 
by centripetal force. Its nature is Spirit; its 
attribute, Will; its manifestations, Love, Wis- 
dom, Power. This is God." 

It was maintained by the Mystics of old 
that "the last analysis of the Supreme Being 
would fail to discover any other existence than 
that of a Central Spiritual Sun — an Infinite, 



22 THE LIVING FIRE 

Eternal, uncreated and incomprehensible One 
alone, whose attributes were light and heat, 
whose manifestation was the Universe, re- 
vealed by light, energized into forms, suns, 
systems, worlds, men and things, by that 
spiritual heat whose last gross external exhi- 
bition is tire." 

"The ancient people considered that they 
saw God, that is, with all their innermost pos- 
sibility of thought, in the Fire — which Fire is 
not our vulgar, gross Fire, neither is it even 
the purest material or electric fire, which still 
has something of the base bright light of the 
world about it ; but it is the occult, mysterious, 
supernatural Fire — not magnetic — and yet 
a real, sensible mind. It is the inner Light, 
the God, containing all things, into whose in- 
expressibly intense, all-consuming, all-creat- 
ing-divine, though fiery essence, all the worlds 
in succession will fall; back into whose arms 
of Immortal Light on the other side, as again 
receiving them, the worlds driven off into 
space and being heretofore, by the Divine 
energy will again rush back to Him." 

Celestial Fire is Light without heat. Phah 






THE MYSTERY OFFIRE . 23 

lie or terrestrial fire is heat without light. The 
Phallic fire is the shadow of the true Spiritual 
Light. 

"It is with the terrestrial fire that the Al- 
chemist breaks asunder the atomic thickness 
of visible nature, which yielding up its secret 
destiny, of unlimited progress, sinks into the 
fiery furnace, in its basest proportions, to 
arise thrice purified, and forced upwards on 
the pathway of a higher round of the ladder. 

"It is with the Celestial Fire that the Rosi- 
crucian bursts asunder the bonds of error 
and darkness that holds the soul in a material 
prison-house. He becomes the Pontifex 
(bridge-maker), which conducts- the soul 
across the dark waters of ignorance from the 
realms of the known to the unknown, from the 
gates of matter to the bright roads of Spirit; 
from earthly blackness to celestial light, from 
the visible fires of purgation to the invisible 
soul light of eternity. " ,f 

Such is the language of the ancient philoso- 
phers, and all religions of the past and the 
present "transcend up into this spiritual Fire- 
floor, on which, so to speak, the phases of 
time were laid. " 



24 THE LIVING FIRE 

By a study of comparative religions it is 
easy to trace them all back to the same source, 
— the ancient fire faith. 

In our own Bible we find many references 
to the lire and if we would read it understand- 
ing^ we must extract from it the deep, hid- 
den spiritual meaning, else it becomes but a 
jumble of meaningless words to us. 

THE MICROCOSM 

As the Universe is the Macrocosm or big 
world, so man is the Microcosm or little world, 
and as such he is the conservator of all forces, 
the image of all objective forms, the embodi- 
ment of all subjective ideas, and the connect- 
ing link between all existences, higher and 
lower than himself. 

In man we again find the trinity of elements, 
namely: Body, Spirit-and Soul. 

"His body is a conservator of all the powers 
and functions of matter; his spirit, the ani- 
mating principle, is made up of all the forces 
we call life; his soul is the pure Deific ray, a 
spark from the immortal essence whose attri- 
bute is Will or Intelligence." The attempt 



THE MYSTERY OF FIRE 25 

to analyze these three elements, which has 
formed a groundwork of -philosophy, and a 
theme of learned speculation, for thousands 
of years." 

"The soul is like its source — the Central 
Sun of Being — in its nature and essence pure, 
unalloyed Spiritual Light. It is the invisible 
and inlinitely sublimated Spirit of Fire — not 
the gross visible element that can be seen, 
felt, and apprehended by the senses — but that 
wonderful innermost light, which, whilst it 
reveals and proves all things in its own mani- 
festation, is itself invisible, unknown, and un- 
comprehended." 

"It is this essential, innermost and divine 
principle of soul which survives all change, 
which is neither subject to decay or disinte- 
gration; which is the spark derived from 
Deity — the Alpha and Omega of being — and 
the link which unites the Creature to the 
Creator." 

"Surrounding this divine essence of soul, 

and clothing it as a spiritual body is that 

subtle and refined element, which, in its effects 

is force; in its action through organic bodies, 

4 



26 THE LIVING FIRE 

is life; and in its all : pervading influence 
throughout the realms of space is termed 
Magnetism or electricity." 

It is the second of that grand trinity of 
principle* whose union constitutes man a liv- 
ing being. It is the element of force or fire, 
whose attributes are attraction and repulsion, 
or the centrifugal and centripetal force. 

While the soul or innermost part of man is 
derived from Deity, the body or outermost 
part is made up of material atoms from the 
world of matter, vitalized by the Astral Spirit 
which is the life principle of the body and the 
Spiritual body of the Soul. As Paul said : 
There is a natural body and a spiritual body. 
The Astral Spirit forms the connecting link 
between the soul and the body. It is that 
"subtle fluid which is placed between the soul 
and the body and circulates in all the nerves." 
At death the Astral Spirit unites with the 
Soul and this union forms the Spirit. 

"It is in this luminous Astral Spirit, an im- 
ponderable vital essence, this concentration 
of heat, life, motion, force, this invincible, 
supernatural fire that the power resides to 



THE MYSTERY OF FIRE 27 

make spirits visible to mortal eyes. The heat 
generated in the Astral Spirit gives life and 
motion to the body; the light which is its sub- 
stance, colors the various tissues and fluids, 
and causes them to reflect the grosser rays 
of light in the atmosphere, so that they can 
become visible." 

The Astral Spirit which is the life of the 
body corresponds to the Astral Light in the 
realms of space which is the life of the Uni- 
verse. It is the spiritual principle of the 
earth, and penetrates throughout its rocks, 
minerals, and gases. It is the "restless, 
ethereal fire that forces asunder the most 
mobile particles of fluid, and disperses them 
into gases; it separates the still finer particles 
of gases, and distributes matter into ether. 
It is not ether, but the principle of motion or 
tire, which rolls oceans of ether into undula- 
tory waves, and causes it to become the car- 
rier of light and heat. " 

As the Astral Light of the Universe, in its 
primal condition, is inscrutable and unknown, 
so is the Spiritual body of man, invisible, lat- 
ent and hidden, an(J known only by its life- 
giving effects. 



28 THE LIVING FIRE 

The Astral Light is a "consuming Fire" 
which will render all things back into their 
original essence; it is the Alpha and Omega, 
the first and the last; Deity. 

Unlike the Soul which is a pure Deific ray, 
the Astral Spirit in man is not a single ele- 
ment, but it is made up of all the impondera- 
bles of the Universe. It was originally de- 
rived from the planetary system. 

Earth with its freight of teeming life, air, 
atmosphere, all send off emanations which com- 
bine to form the Astral Spirit. It is a mirror 
upon which is pictured all the peculiarities of 
character, every motive, power, function, vice, 
virtue, hope and memory which the human 
soul has experienced in its material environ- 
ment; it is as clear a reflection of the individ- 
ual's mind within, as of the visible and invisi- 
ble Universe without. Every deed, word and 
thought is indelibly photographed upon the 
Spiritual body. It is the '' Recording Angel " 
which keeps a faithful record of every thought 
and action and pronounces a sure and just 
judgment upon human life and conduct accord- 
ing to the deeds done in the body. This being 



THE MYSTERY OF FIRE 29 

true then every individual must be his own 
savior, he must work out his own salvation. 

There are many rings or layers of this spir- 
itual body. These rings, taken together are 
termed the Astral Spirit, because the element 
itself is derived, like the pure essence of the 
Soul, from the great Spiritual Sun of the Uni- 
verse, from whom emanate and to whom re- 
turn all rays of light, heat, motion, force and 
power. In the individual it is called the "As- 
tral Spirit;" in the Universe the "Astral 
Light." To each it is the life or animating 
principle. This Astral Spirit or Spiritual 
body is that which in the Bible is termed the 
"fiery body of the Holy Ghost." 

The layers or rings of Spirit which are near- 
est the body are the life spheres, and change 
with the body's changes, and at death they 
recede and become the clothing of the Soul. 
Those spheres which are the most interior to 
the body and nearest the Soul are called the 
Sun Spheres and connect the Soul with the 
Solar and Astral influences, under which the 
individual was born. 

These innermost or Sun spheres are affected 



30 THE LIVING FIRE 

by the Solar and planetary influences and: 
change with them, and in this manner they 
affect the mind, influence the character, and 
form the magnetic connection by which the 
Stars act upon the individual's destiny. As 
the Astral Spirit of man is made up of all the 
forces of the Universe, it is subject to the in- 
fluence of changes occuring in every depart- 
ment of Nature This is the secret of Astro- 
logical influence. This is the reason why as 
Shakespeare truthfully says: 

" There is a destiny that shapes our ends. 
Rough hew them how we will." 

The Universe — Macrocosm — big world. Man 
— Microcosm — little world. One the epitome 
and likeness of the other. "As above so be- 
low." Of what great importance is a deep 
study of the vast and almost incomprehensible 
truths of Nature. Perceiving then this im- 
mutable law of universal correspondence, can 
we not easily understand how man, the little 
world, must necessarily be influenced by and 
partake of the infinite variousness of the ma 
crocosm manifested in the skies, how a single 
blazing star revolving through space, can 



THE MYSTERY OF FIRE 31 

affect the character and destiny of an indivi- 
dual millions of miles away, and how every 
thing in nature, animate and inanimate, is 
swept along in one universal bond of sympa- 
thy, from the least into the greatest. 

It has been said that the embryonic being, 
ere it sees the light, takes on all the various 
forms through which the race has passed in 
its different stages of development. Upon it 
is impressed the peculiar characteristics of 
mind, body and spirit, of the parents, accord- 
ing to the law of heredity, and it is even in- 
fluenced by the physical sustenance, the men- 
tal temperament and the very habits and 
thoughts of the mother. The state of the 
earth, atmosphere, and the aromal emanations 
given off in the different seasons of the year — 
all these with their changing influences, con- 
tribute to form its very essence; but above all, 
the planetary system, the conjunction of each 
star with the Sun, next with the earth and 
with each other at the moment of birth will 
determine the nature and influence the char- 
acter of the new-born being. 

There cannot be two planetary conjunctions 



32 THE LIVING FIRE 

which are exactly alike, and that is why those 
creatures, born under the influence of ever- 
varying Astral changes, are so widely differ- 
ent in their physical, mental and spiritual 
states. No two persons can be exactly alike, 
although as the planets seem to return again 
and again to certain points, there are recur- 
rences of certain types of character. Every- 
thing moves, and all growth continues in a 
spiral, thus while the same types recur under 
similar planetary conditions yet the tendency 
is always upward to a more perfected condi- 
tion. 

Since the Spiritual body of man has its ori- 
gin in the Solar System and his soul is a spark 
from the grand Central sun of Being, it is easy 
to perceive the close connection existing be- 
tween them and the planetary influences 
which prevail at the time of their birth into 
the physical body; not only the influences 
existing at the time of birth, but all through 
the period of embryonic life, and even during 
the span of this mortal existence. 

Our earth is governed by the fixed and un- 
changeable principles of the Solar system. It 



THE MYSTERY OF FIRE 33 

has no life of its own, but is permeated and 
saturated with that surging, throbbing, burn- 
ing, blazing, unceasing energy of life, or fire, 
that is "Only constant in eternal unrest," 
which is never absent, even from the grossest 
atom, and which ever tends to "purify, refine 
and elevate, transmute base things into tine, 
gross matter into ethereal, and the earth itself 
into a radiant and gloriously spiritualized 
planet." 

This eager, imprisoned fire saturates all 
matter, and is present even in the smallest 
and coarsest atom of rock and mineral, and is 
that which gives sparkle to the diamond as 
well as life to the human. This restless fire 
is modified by all matter through which it 
passes and takes on the form of every atom or 
material body in which it is confined. Min- 
erals have rudimentary possibilities of plants ; 
and plants have rudimentary sensibilities, 
which might in distant ages evolve them into 
locomotive creatures, and thence through ages 
of progression into the highest form of man, 
for it is but a single step from the highest 
form of vegetable to the lowest form of animal 
life. 

5 



34 THE LIVING FIRE 

This divine, eternal, unquenchable fire has 
existed from the beginning of time and will 
still continue to hurl into existence suns and 
systems, planets and worlds, throughout the 
vast epochs of eternity. 

This truth was enunciated by Andrew Jack- 
son Davis, called the "Poughkeepsie Seer," 
the most inspired prophet and wonderful 
illuminator of modern times, who stands sec- 
ond to none as a religious teacher, reformer 
and writer, on the pages of history, while a 
a mere lad, in a moment of illumination. He 
says: 

"As it was in the beginnig, so the vast and 
boundless Univercoelum, the great sun and 
centre from which all these worlds emanated, 
is still an exhaustless fountain of chaotic ma- 
terials and living inherent energy to drive in- 
to existence billions and millions of billions of 
suns, with all their appendages more than 
have yet been produced! For it has eternal 
motion and contains the forms that all forms 
subsequently assume; and it contains laws 
that are displayed in its geometrical and me- 
chanical structure, combinations, laws, forces, 



THE MYSTERY OF FIRE 35 

forms and motions that have produced, and 
will still produce, an infinitude of systems, 
and systems of systems, whose concentric- 
circles are but an expanse from the great 
germ of all existence, and are incessantly act- 
ing and re-acting, changing, harmonizing, or- 
ganizing, and etherealizing every particle of 
chaotic and undeveloped matter that exists in 
the vortex. " 

And again : 

"The great original, ever-existing, omnis- 
cient, omnipotent and omnipresent productive 
power, the Soul of all existence, is throned in 
a central sphere, the circumference of which 
is the boundless universe, and around which 
solar, sideral and stellar systems, revolve in 
silent, majestic sublimity and harmony ! This 
power is what mankind call Deity, whose attri- 
butes are love and wisdom, corresponding 
with the principles of male and female, posi- 
tive and negative, sustaining and creative." 

The unfathomable extent of the sidereal uni- 
verse cannot be conceived by the human brain. 
Astronomers tell us that there are whole myri- 
ads of suns, which are condensed, piled in, 



36 THE LIVING FIRE 

and crowded together in such colossal heaps 
and depths that there is hardly room on the 
graphic plates to picture them, and that still 
the distances between them are many trillions 
of miles. They also say that if our sun and 
all the planets should be destroyed in one sec- 
ond there would be no change' in the sidereal 
structure and that it would not be missed, un- 
less possibly by some astronomer on some 
planet in the system of the nearest sun, and 
that if our earth and all its inhabitants should 
be instantly annihilated, the event would be 
unknown to space and only a very slight dis- 
turbance would be created in our own solar 
system. 

The period of time which it takes our sun 
with all its system of revolving planets and 
satellites to pass through one sign of the 
Sun's Zodiac constitutes a "cycle," and con- 
sists of about 2170 years. It would then take 
more than 26,000 years to complete a single 
revolution of the Zodiacal belt. This consti- 
tutes a period, an epoch or an eon of time. 

Our earth has perhaps occupied millions of 
years in its formation and development up to 



THE MYSTERY OP FIRE 37 

its present state. In its primitive state hu 
man life could not be sustained upon it and 
therefore ages of growth were necessary to 
fit it for man 's reception. Matter had to be re- 
fined by the birth and destruction of millions 
of generations of creatures in the vegetable 
and animal kingdoms, and still creation was 
not complete, for as yet no immortal being 
had arrived to cap the climax; the highest 
ideal of the Divine Architect had not yet been 
sculptured. There was no being which had 
yet been imbued with the highest attribute of 
Spirit — Will. When earth was ready for man 
he came. But before being born into matter he 
was a spirit, not a self-conscious individualized 
entity, but a bright luminous emanation of 
Deity. He was an angelic essence, a spiritual 
substance, and lived in paradise, but lacking 
in those elements of love, wisdom and power 
which can be attained only by the birth into 
a mortal existence and progression through 
many states. He was the Divine idea in the 
shape of the man that was to be. 

All existence originates in Spirit. Every 
mechanical construction, everv human inven- 



38 THE LIVING FIRE 

tion, ihe mechanism of every organized form 
must have existed in mind before they could 
be reduced to a material expression. Mind 
being an attribute of Will, and as Will is Spirit, 
then the creation of the physical universe is 
but the expression of a spiritual idea, and the 
creation of a physical man is no more, no less. 
Every invention or material creation of man 
must exist in mind before they are modeled 
out in matter, and are therefore creations of the 
soul, and must ever remain as spiritual enti- 
ties, even though they never materialize into 
an objective form. Everything that ever has 
existed or that ever will exist, exists now in 
Spirit and will continue to exist as long as 
time shall endure. This principle is beauti- 
fully expressed in Eccl. 1, 9: 

' k The thing that hath been is that which 
shall be; and that which is done is that which 
shall be done : and there is no new thing under 
the sun." 

The Ancient Mysteries were founded on the 
belief that the Soul originally existed in a state 
of purity and innocence, that it fell or des- 
cended into matter for the purpose of gaining 



THE MYSTERY OF FIRE 39 

experience, and its chief end and aim of the 
earthly life was to conduct the soul through 
its many stages of growth and development, 
back to an alliance with Deity, not, however, 
as an original essence, but as an intelligent, 
individualized, immortal soul. 

The life of the spiritual emanation, previous 
to its birth into matter, is said to be a life of 
nothingness, of happiness, of bliss, which can- 
not be comprehended, because it is devoid of 
sensation. These spirits of fire, living in |their 
distant Edens, are stirred by the whisperings 
of the serpent, the animal principle, and long 
for change, for knowledge, for power ; for the 
knowledge of good and evil and this yearning- 
leads them on into the realms of matter, to 
undergo successive generations of births and 
deaths until they become self-conscious 
entities. 

When these spirits lived in Paradise they 
knew no sex. When they descended into mat- 
ter to dwell on earth they became what the 
earth compelled them to be. In the early 
ages of the earth the conditions of life were 
very crude and the living creatures partook 



40 THE LIVING FIRE 

of its nature, because spirit must manifest 
itself according to the quality of the matter 
in which it is confined. In order to continue 
the race man must reproduce his kind, hence 
sex and generation. Everything in matter is i 
male and female, even minerals and plants. 
All vegetable life is reproduced through the 
law of sex and generation. Spirit, the crea- 
tive energy, is the masculine principle ; matter 
the passive recipient, the female principle, is 
that which germinates, hence creation. Man 
must obey the law; hence sex and generation. 

Man lives many lives before he reaches the 
estate of manhood. The soul performs many 
pilgrimages in its rudimental state, exists in 
many forms, which are but fleeting, tempor- 
ary shapes, a creature in which only a part of 
the imprisoned soul shines forth; it is like a 
butterfly springing up from its chrysolitic 
shell, but tending ever onward and upward, 
through new births, new deaths and new in- 
carnations, until it awakens into self -conscious- 
ness, an immortal being — man. 

As it is born into humanity it attains self- 
consciousness, a knowledge of its own individ- 



THE MYSTERY OF FIRE 41 

uality, and retains a grim memory of its num- 
erous migrations through the various transi- 
tional stages of being. Each time the transi- 
tion from one form of life to another is affected 
in a manner similar to human death or transi- 
tion, and during the interval between its death 
and rebirth into another material form, the 
Spirit clothed with its aural body which binds 
it to the realms of matter, exists as an "Ele- 
mentary Spirit." 

W hen the soul is born into man and becomes 
an individualized, self-conscious Ego, it also 
becomes immortal and needs no further re-in- 
carnation in the realms of matter on this 
earth. If it is ever born again into matter it 
must be on some higher plane or more spirit- 
ualized planet. But it must continue on and 
forever on in its progressive unfoldment of the 
Divine purpose until it reaches the highest, 
until it becomes an Angel in Heaven, full of 
power, wisdom, strength and Love, a world- 
builder, a glorious sun-bright soul. Spirits, 
dwelling in Eden, are but the breath, the 
spark, the shadow of God ; Angels are Gods 
in person. 
6 



42 THE LIVING FIRE 

To the fable of the Garden of Eden, and the 
temptation and fall of man, is attached a deep 
spiritual significance. The Soul, dwelling in 
a state of sinless, spiritual existence, is tempt- 
ed by the desire for knowledge and is attract- 
ed to earth, where it is incarnated in matter, 
hence the "fall of spirit into matter." In tak- 
ing on a material existence, the first principle 
of life to be evolved must needs be the means 
to produce and reproduce itself. When the 
Soul descended into physical life, man became 
dual, male and female, and could become in- 
carnate only through the process of physical 
generation. In the primal spirit essence 
there is neither sex, age nor sin. 

As the function of creation is the highest 
and most wonderful power of Deity, so the 
imitative law, the law of generation, must be- 
come the noblest and most sacred function of 
God's creatures. It is just as sacred a theme 
as the formation of worlds, and the birth of 
suns and systems. 

With the birth into physical life the Soul 
undergoes a wonderful transformation. Its 
faculty of love is changed into passion, intui- 



THE MYSTERY OF FIRE 43 

tion into reason, perception into memory, and 
from a creature without parts it is changed 
into one all organs, capable of experiencing 
every emotion, from the depths of vice to the 
heights of virtue, and the aim and object of 
its material existence on earth and its pilgrim- 
age through spheres of trial, discipline and 
purification, is to gain knowledge and experi- 
ence, and to learn to transmute the Soul's 
faculties into a higher state of love and wis- 
dom. Every trial and suffering has its mean- 
ing and is a lesson that must be learned. To 
become an Angel the original spirit-dweller, 
expelled from its Eden of ignorance and inno- 
cence, must first be a man, then a Spirit, 
passing from one stage of development to an- 
other, until it will regain its Eden, with 
strength, wisdom and power which alone can 
constitute an Angel of God. The Soul is first 
an embryonic seed, a spirit germ, which con- 
tains within itself all the possibilities of the 
perfected Angel, as the acorn contains in germ 
the noble proportions of the mighty oak. 

"Soul and spiritual essence is the God and 
the procedure, the Creator and the creature." 



44 THE LIVING FIRE 

k 'His strength is ours, and in that strength 
we can afford to stand by and watch the wreck 
of empires and dynasties, ecclesiastical faiths 
and man-made dogmas." 

"We are immortal parts of the immortal 
Soul of the Universe, and we can never be lost, 
or perish out of his hand. " 






Antiquity of Man 

l^TOT only do all the writings and theories 
■ handed down to us from the earliest re- 

corded history of mankind point to the great 
antiquity of this earth and its inhabitants, but 
the scientific researches of modern times, 
prove conclusively that our earth is millions 
of years old, and that man has existed on it, 
in a greater or lesser degree of civilization, for 
many thousands of years. The formation of 
the earth's surface, the various strata of soil 
and rock, the fossiliferous incrustations of 
plant, animal, and even human remains which 
have been found ina bedded in the solid rock, 
all conduce to the opinion that the earth has 
occupied millions of years in its formation and 
that man made his debut on the stage of earthly 
existence no less than fifty thousand years 
ago, and that he has lived, worked, toiled 
struggled, flourished and died to give place 
successively to other and higher types. 

Says Louis Agassiz, the eminent naturalist, 
in speaking of geological time: 

45 



46 THE LIVING FIRE 

"Among the astounding discoveries of mod- 
ern science is that of the immense periods 
that have passed in the gradual formation of 
the earth. So vast were the cycles of the time 
preceding even the appearance of man on the 
surface of our globe, that our own period 
seems as yesterday when compared with the 
epochs gone before it. Had we only the evi- 
dence of the deposits of rocks heaped above 
each other in regular strata by the slow 
accumulation of materials, they alone would 
convince us of the long and slow maturing of 
God's work on earth; but when we add to 
these successive populations of whose life this 
world has been the theatre, and whose re- 
mains are hidden in the rocks into which the 
mud of sand or soil of whatever kind on which 
they lived has hardened in the course of time 
— or the enormous chains of mountains whose 
upheaval divided these periods of quiet accum- 
ulation by great convulsions — or the changes 
of a different nature in the configuration of 
our glohe, as the sinking of lands beneath the 
ocean, or the gradual rising of continents and 
islands above; or the slow growth of the coral 



ANTIQUITY OP MAN 47 

reefs, those wonderful sea-walks, raised by 
the little ocean architects whose own bodies 
furnish both the building stone and cement 
that binds them together, and who have 
worked so busily during the long centuries, 
that there are extensive countries, mountain 
chains, islands, and long lines of coast, consist- 
ing solely of their remains— or the countless 
forests that have grown up, nourished, died 
and decayed, to fill the storehouses of coal 
that feed the fires of the human race — if we 
consider all these records of the past, the in- 
tellect fails to grasp a chronology of which 
our experience furnishes no data, and time 
that flies behind us seems as much an eternity 
to our conception as the future that stretches 
indefinitely before us." 

While the foregoing may not be considered 
strictly a part of the subject matter of this 
work, yet science and philosophy must walk 
hand in hand in the attempt to solve the gi- 
gantic problems of creation. Science is the 
materialistic research and philosophy the 
spiritual insight which must unite to elucidate 
the mysteries of the unknown. The cold 



48 THE LIVIN,G FIRE 

facts of science must ever be illuminated by 
the light of intuition and inspiration, ere we 
can comprehend the unerring exactness, the 
eternal purpose, and the Divine harmony of 
the vast scheme of the Universe. 

Modern science has done no more than to 
prove the truth of the theories held and taught 
by the philosophers in the burning lands of 
the Orient centuries ago. From them we 
gather the idea that "this earth has, for mil- 
lions of years, been the scene of human activi- 
ties; that time moves in cycles, and that each 
has its peculiar order of intelligent beings, 
both like and unlike the present race of men. 
By and bye these last will disappear, as others 
have before them, and be superceded by a 
loftier race of immortal beings. We are but 
initial types of glorious races to come after 
we are gone to act our part in another drama, 

in another stage of being! Men, nations, 

civilizations, all, like the seasons, move in cy- 
cles, and each round of ages is but a varied 
repetition, on a larger or smaller scale, upon 
the same general theatre, of events that have, 
time and again, been enacted and observed. 



ANTIQUITY OF MAN 49 

Earth, and man, and nations, and civili- 
zations, and historical and unhistorical epochs 
and eras, all rise, grow, reach a perihelion 
splendor, and then a night, and then again a 
new day." 

Modern researches are continually bringing 
to light fresh evidence of the learning and cul- 
ture to which some of the nations of the 
Orient had attained long before the beginnings 
of authentic history. We are accustomed to 
regard Judea as an ancient country, but com- 
pared with Egypt, Chaldea and India it was 
but a modern nation and probably never at- 
tained the heights of learning in science and 
art as the older countries. Before the Jews 
had made a mark on the pages of history 
Egypt was an ancient nation, and India had 
recorded cycles of time and was hoary with 
age when Egypt was still in its infancy. The 
Chinese claim to have authentic records for 
twelve thousand years back. "Maps of the 
heavens, and perfected charts of astral mo- 
tions, involving intricate calculations, which 
must have required thousands of years to 
arrive at, were all handed down from pre-his- 
7 



50 THE LIVING FIRE 

toric to the commencement of historic times, 
and that with a completeness which fully sus- 
tains the enormous claims of the Hindoos for 
the existence of their dynasty during cycles 
of time which baffle the human mind to con- 
ceive of." 

"How many times have the silent but most 
eloquent catacombs of old earth, in the form 
of upturned plains, the beds of rivers, the 
depths of artesian wells, and the recesses of 
newly discovered caverns, brought to light 
conclusive testimony that man lived, labored, 
wrought in clay, stone, pottery and metals, 
tens of thousands of years ago on the face of 
the earth ! ' ' 

"The remains of tropical plants now found 
amid the awful desolation of the Arctic and 
Antarctic regions — the constant stream of 
revelation silently but surely upheaving its 
mystic writings from the superincumbent 
debris under which the earth of a million 
years ago lies buried — the strong voices that 
thunder through the colossal remains of 
ruined cities, and the swift but immutable 
footprints of the fiery squadrons whose march 



ANTIQUITY OF MAN 51 

through the skies, the mind of man has fol- 
lowed up through ages of unrecorded time, 
all proclaim that the movements of the Uni- 
verse transpire in^ spiral and ever-revolving 
cycles." 

" Like the path of the sun on the Eclyptic, 
now ascending on the royal arch of the north- 
ern hemisphere, now descending into the 
southern bow, but ever moving in gyrating 
circles upward, typifying the march of plan- 
ets, nations, ages of time and human souls, 
so that those who study the parts may com- 
prehend the whole, aU these stupendous wit- 
nesses figure out the law by which cycles of 
civilization are born, grow, ascend to their 
culminating point of splendor, then turn the 
hill of time, descend lower and lower into en- 
gulfing depths, lower and lower into corrup- 
tion, degration, death ! And yet they rise 
again, and, Phoenix like, spring from the fun- 
eral ashes of their pyre, to be reborn in no- 
bler, higher forms of younger civilizations." 

And thus it has been with man and his re- 
ligions. But the real spiritual truths have 
never died; they have on]y been obscured by 



52 THE LIVING FIRE 

the night of corruption which even now is be- 
ginning to vanish into a new day of true spir- 
itual awakening, when the soul of the Uni- 
verse shall be known and j'elt in the Soul of 
his creatures, and shall witness in itself an 
external expression of the sublime and har- 
monious order of the Universe. 

"God is Spirit, and they who worship Him, 
must worship Him in spirit and in truth." 

Nature has no secrets from her votaries, 
but she refuses to render up any knowledge 
beyond the plane from which the inquiry 
originates. Physical scientists make new dis- 
coveries only in the realms of matter, while 
the occult side of Nature is an unexplored 
realm to them, hence they can throw no light 
upon those grand truths which lie beyond the 
ken of physical science. To gain spiritual 
knowledge we must study the whole Universe, 
not only in the realm of soul and spirit, but 
also in body and function. It is thus alone 
that the Universe has ever yielded an answer 
to the soul's urgent questioning; thus alone 
can man ever solve the mystery of his being, 
and that of his planet. 



ANTIQUITY OF MAN 53 

"He who would eat of the fruit of the tree 
of occult knowledge must plant it with his own 
hands, tend and culture it with a philosopher's 
patience, and then, and then alone, will it 
yield to his taste the true knowledge of good 
and evil, then only will he eat for himself, and 
not through the senses of another." 



Training in Occultism 

IT AVING considered man in his relation to 
* * the universe we will now study him in 
relation to himself, his environments and his 
fellow man. In order to do this intelligently 
we must study him as a triune being, made 
up of three parts, — body, spirit and soul, and 
thus prepared to act on three planes of exist- 
ence, namely, the physical, astral and divine. 

Man being the highest form of existence, it 
is his province to control all forms of existence 
lower than himself. He may also subjugate 
to his Will the occult forces of nature and 
force them to do his bidding. But, as yet, he 
is only in his infancy, and, like the new born 
babe, must learn to use the forces at his com- 
mand. 

There are latent powers and almost infinite 
capabilities in man the meaning of which he 
has hardly dreamed of possessing, but mere 
intellectual cultivation will never reveal or de- 
velop these powers. It is only through a com- 
plete philosophy of the entire nature of man, 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 55 

physical, mental and moral, and the capacities 
and destinies of the human soul, and the appli- 
cation of such knowledge, that man will event- 
ually come into possession of his own. 

The knowledge of the soul, of its origin, na- 
ture, powers and the laws that govern its evo- 
lution is precisely the knowledge that is need- 
ed to lift mankind from the depths of ignor- 
ance into the realms of light, and all knowl- 
edge that does not tend in that direction is in- 
complete and necessarily a failure. It is this 
knowledge that religion has tried to teach us 
but she herself has shut off the fountain head 
of her own illumination. She accepts the 
theory but rejects the facts and has degener- 
ated into a thing of dust and ashes, forms and 
ceremonies, and lifeless bodies of ancient 
faiths from which the soul has long since fled. 

The grandest achievements in spiritual 
knowledge ever gained by man were originally 
celebrated in the ancient mysteries. All pre- 
liminary training and study led up to this — 
"The real measure of a man." Just as all life 
is an evolution so is all real knowledge an init- 
iation, and it proceeds in a natural order and 
advances by specific "degrees." 



56 THE LIVING FIRE 

To revive the ancient wisdom is to recover 
the lost Word. This Word concerns the sci- 
ence of rythmic vibrations and is the key to 
the equilibrium of all forces and the harmony 
of Eternal Nature. 

But these secrets must be sought by the 
individual himself ; every man must work out 
his own salvation (save himself from the hell 
of ignorance). There is a grand science known 
as Magic. It contemplates that all-round 
development which liberates the intellect from 
the dominion of the senses and illuminates the 
spiritual perceptions. All genuine initiation, 
like evolution and regeneration, is frorn within 
and consists in an orderly unfoldment of the 
natural powers of the Neophyte so that he 
shall become the very thing he desires to pos- 
sess. In seeking Magic he finally becomes 
the Magus. The Christ life and the power 
that made Jesus to be Christos, Master, 
whereby he healed the sick, cast out devils, 
and foretold future events, is the same life 
revealed by initiation into the Greater Myster- 
ies of Antiquity. The Lost Word of the Mas- 
ter is the key to all the Science of Magic, back 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 57 

of which lies a "philosophy as boundless as 
Cosmos, as inexhaustible as Time, and as be- 
neficent as the "Father in Heaven." 

We must not trust to the possibilities of 
miraculous changes in our natures, but work 
for them, and scientifically and patiently pave 
the way for their achievement. In this work 
I shall treat only of natural Magic, or the cul- 
tivation of the powers of the soul. The unfold- 
ment of these must be conducted by a regular 
series of physical and mental processes which 
will involve physiological and psychological 
changes, all tending to the subjugation of the 
physical senses and the exaltation of the spir- 
itual. 

"Every feat of Magic is a triumph of spirit 
over matter. The forces of spirit are de- 
signed for good and use, or they could not be 
accessible to man. In ages yet to come, when 
the earth and its living freight are all spirit- 
ualized, that which is magic now will be ordi- 
nary practice then. The heavens will kiss the 
earth, and the thin veil which divides the in- 
habitants of either realm will become so trans- 
parent that every eye will pierce its mystery 
8 



58 THE LIVING FIRE 

and rejoice in its holy revealments. Untjl 
then ''knowledge is power;" and all men by 
knowledge may achieve the power of practic- 
ing Magic, the glorious white Magic of the hu- 
man Soul. 

We have explained the ancient theories Jof 
the order of being, the elements of liffe, power 
and motion, by which being itself becomes 
operative. These principles should be thor- 
oughly digested, as well as other principles 
and laws of nature which will hereafter be 
given. The reader [must apprehend what na- 
ture is, must comprehend the structure of 
man in his threefold character as a material, 
magical and divine being; he must know the 
nature of the Astral fluid which vitalizes all 
things in nature, and the Astral Spirit, which 
constitutes the spiritual body of man, as it is 
in the realm of the .astral that all occult phe- 
nomena has its origin. 

THE LAW OP VIBRATION 

The two attributes of that element described 
as Force have already been mentioned as at- 
traction and repulsion. The one is a positive 






tt 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 59 

quality which repels and the other is negative 
and attracts. These two great opposites are 
constantly acting to and fro in space produc- 
ing vibration. All things in the Universe are 
the result of this vibration. 

In the beginning existed the Eternal One 
and in order to create it divided itself into posi- 
tive and negative, or male and female, and 
these two opposites are eternally seeking each 
other, hence Creation. 

As we have said before the inner jewel of 
light is never absent, even from the smallest 
and grossest atom of mineral or rock, that is 
to say, every atom of matter in its primordial 
condition, possesses its inherent portion of 
Force or Fire which cannot be separated from 
it. This primal fire is that which gives it its 
power of evolution from a low to a higher 
state. - 

Each atom of matter is polarized, that is, has 

two poles, the one positive, the other negative. 

The positive represents its potential energy ; 

the negative its absence. 

\a There must always exist duality in manifes- 

| tation, otherwise everything would be at rest, 



/ 



60 THE LIVING FIRE 

hence inertia or death. Everything in the 
universe is constantly in motion. Nothing 

j^~ can exist without having an opposite. If 
there is heat there must be cold. If there is 
light there must be darkness. If there is one 
side there must be another side. Duality 
always implies separation and separation is 
the beginning of opposing force and limitation. 
This law resolves itself into the condition of 
polarity or the manifestation of the one and 
its negative, or non-existence, thus making 
existence by its very law of being, positive. 
The positive attracts the negative and the 
negative the positive because they are the two 
halves of the one, and once separated are con- 
stantly seeking reunion, and when united in- 
stantly repel each other. This is due to the 
fact that they both become either positive or 
negative, their polarization is changed and 
1 they instantly repel each other again. 

Throughout the universe all segregations 
and individualizations depend for thei r eform 

V and constitution upon the form and constitu- 
tion of their atoms. If there were no atoms 
there could be no forms and if the atoms had 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 61 

no attributes th'e forms could have none. 
Whatever properties the whole mass posses- 
ses t he atom must also possess in proportion 
to its size. 

Primal invisible substance fills all space. It 
is condensed into visible forms by Force which 
binds it together, by the action and reaction of 
its two attributes. 

The natural form of the atom in its primal 
condition is that of a perfect sphere. In this 
condition it is either negative at the centre 
and positive on the outside or vice versa. It 
contains within itself the primal power of mo- 
tion necessary for perception by personal 
sense. Without this power of motion it would X 
remain imperceptible. If one could by the 
power of Will, control the vibrations of his 
body, he might make himself invisible on the • 
physical plane. 

We can perceive with our material senses 
only those things whose rate of vibration is on 
the same plane as our own. Colors are only 
different vibrations of light. We can perceive 
only a certain number whose vibrations come 
with our range of vision on the physical plane, 



62 THE LIVING FIRE 

but we know there must be many other rates 
of vibration of light producing an infinite num- 
ber of varied and beautiful colors w T hich we 
cannot perceive,- because their rate of vibra- 
tion is so rapid it cannot be focused on the 
retina of the eye. There may also be other 
colors, and doubtless are, whose rates of vi- 
bration are too slow for them to be perceived 
by us. Red has the slowest rate of vibration 
of all the colors that we are able to perceive 
and violet the swiftest. Our range of vision 
includes all the varying shades of color whose 
rates of vibration are between these two. Be- 
yond these we cannot go with the physical 
sense. The seven primary colors represent 
seven different rates of vibration of the pure 
white light. All other colors are the result 
of the union of the vibrations of light with the 
atonic vibration of the substance through 
which they manifest, and' which gives to each 
substance its own peculiar color. 

And thus it is with sound. Sound is a rate 
of vibration and we can perceive only a certain 
number of octaves with our physical sense. 
But nigher and beyond this reverberates the 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 63 

music of the universe which we can only per- 
ceive as we raise our own rate of vibration to 
a higher plane and thus get "in tune with the 
intinite. " And in like manner, if we were able 
to raise our rate of vibration to a higher plane 
by the power of Will, we would also become 
invisible to those whose vision was limited to 
the vibrations on this physical plane; for vi- 
bration constitutes the barrier between the 
visible and the invisible. What to us is the 
invisible world of spirit is only spiritualized 
matter in a much finer higher rate of vibra- 
tion than we can perceive with only our five 
physical senses. 

The form of atoms is determined by the 
varying conditions of spirit, fire and matter. 
If the pressure on all sides were equal the 
atom would be a cube; if there was a pressure 
on two sides only it would be in shape of a flat 
disc. If the pressure was equal on four sides 
and greater on two then the atom would be in 
the form of a square. Or the atom may be a 
combination of any or all of these forms. All 
forms of crystallization are determined by the 
form of their atoms. 



64 THE LIVING FIRE 

No two atoms in any form or segregation 
whatever ever touch each other. There is, 
perhaps, as much space between them accord- 
cording to their size and the size of the forms 
in which they adhere as there is between the 
planets in our solar system. There is, at least, 
sufficient room for the free motion or vibration 
of each without being impeded by contact with 
any other atom. 

Sickness or disease is a result of the inhar- 
monious vibrations of the the atoms of the 
body and mind. They are thrown out of bal- 
ance from one cause or another and until they 
get in harmony again disease is the result. 

Every thing is the result of vibration. It is con- 
stantly being repeated throughout all the 
manifested. Upon this alone rests all the un- 
unfolding of the boundless. When polarity 
shall cease and vibration disappear all things 
will fade away into everlasting night. 

No two persons have exactly the same rate 
of vibration but each is attuned to a certain 
pitch, just as the strings of a piano are attuned 
to a certain tone. Two persons whose vibra- 
tions were concordant would be harmonious 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 65 

while a third person whose vibrations were 
discordant would be inharmonious, just the 
same as a discordant note in music. But two 
persons if not too entirely out of harmony 
may become harmonious by changing their 
rate of vibration by right thinking. If the 
respective rates of vibration of two persons 
are entirely out of harmony they will repel 
each other; if their rates of vibration harmon- 
ize they will attract each other. 

Everything in nature has its keynote or soul 
sound. Every mass of rock, every blade of 
grass, and every structure reared by man has 
a sound or tone of motion. This represents 
its rate of vibration. This is also true of the 
human being. Strike that same note and the 
atoms will respond and, if continued, will rack 
the structure to pieces. 

In some instances this principle stands forth 
so prominent in physical manifestation that it 
has become a recognized fact in ordinary life, 
yet few understand that the same law exists 
in all manifestation on the physical plane, yet 
is unknown because not sufficiently promi- 
nent to attract special attention. 
9 



66 THE LIVING FIRE 

When a large army of soldiers march across 
a bridge they break step, because if they 
march in uniform it will cause the bridge to 
vibrate and, if long continued, would rock it 
to pieces. A certain dance has also been for- 
bidden by the authorities because the pecul- 
iar step, when danced in unison by a large 
number, causes the building to vibrate and 
therefore likely to collapse. 

According to the Bible the ancient priests 
were familiar with the law of vibration, for it 
was by the operation of this very law that 
the walls of Jericho were shouted down by 
the shouts of the multitude and the blowing 
of trumpets. Every so-called miracle is but 
the operation of natural law the result of 
which constitutes a miracle in the minds of 
those ignorant or unfamiliar with the cause. 

If a person having a low rate of vibration is 
attracted toward another with a higher rate 
or more rapid vibration, the higher rate may 
accelerate the lower rate and bring it to its 
own level. Thus if a rather coarse person 
lives constantly in refined society he will be- 
come more refined. 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 67 

Polarity is the tendency to seek the centre. 
It is not the movement itself but the particu- 
lar att racting forc e which causes the movement. 
There is but one law, and that is the law of 
polarity. The law of polarity is the same in 
both the spiritual and the physical. Each at- 
tracts its opposite and repels its similar. 
That which is attracted to the spiritual must 
become positive, because the spirit is positive; 
while that which is attracted by the physical 
must become inert and negative. The posi- 
tive force is life, the negative death. 

There are four varying- conditions of the 
manifest effects of vibration. They are termed 
the magnetic, electric, etheric, and auraic. 
They correspond with the essences or spirits 
of earth, air, water and fire. 

The magnetic current is the lowest form of 
vibration which we can sense and it operates 
close to the dividing line between the physi- 
cal and spiritual. It separates the gross, 
inert material from the inspiration of the 
higher essences, and slowly spiritualizes and 
refines all crudities with which it comes in 
contact. It is that "subtle fluid placed be- 



68 THE LIVING FIRE 

tween the soul and the body which circulates 
in all the nerves." It might be termed the 
atmosphere of the atoms, for the atoms of the 
body are whirling in space just as the earth 
is revolving on its axis in the plane of its orbit. 

Above the magnetic current, or in superior 
conjunction with it in the sense that the finer 
and converging vibrations give higher tones 
in music, we find the electric currents. Of 
these two currents we have knowledge of 
their affects on the physical plane. The elec- 
tric are more intense in their action and more 
subtle in their influence. 

Still higher we have the etheric vibration 
which represent primary thought force, mov- 
ing constantly by its own innate volition. 

Above all, deep and unfathomed, works the 
auraic current. This is the vibration of 
thought permeated by the potency of the Will. 
The difference between these four currents 
is due to the difference between the rapidity 
and intensity of their rate of vibration. The 
higher can at all times govern the lower and 
it is the aim of the initiate to raise the lower 
vibrations to a higher and this is transmu- 
tation. 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 69 

The auraic conditions of the One are mani- 
fest throughout the universe, which is its en- 
vironment. In the same manner the auraic 
condition of the individual is manifest by the 
environment with which he has surrounded 
himself as the boundary of his desires, aspira- 
tions, hopes and all his relations to the outer 
world. This subject will be taken up again 
farther on in this work. 

MAGNE 1TSM 

Primitive spirit is primary invisible essence; 
primitive matter is primary invisible sub- 
stance. 

Spirit concentrated into spheres forms 
suns; matter concentrated into spheres forms 
worlds. Spirit, matter and force are one and 
inseparable. They form the trinity of the 
macrocosm, the one in three and the three in 
one. The realms of space are filled with mat- 
ter so fine that it is invisible to the human 
senses, and it is penetrated by force and inter- 
penetrated by spirit. 

This earth receives life and light from the 
sun of our planetary system, which in turn 



70 THE LIVING FIRE 

receives its heat and life from the Great Spir- 
itual Sun of the Universe. 

The electric fire from the Sun flows out in- 
to space and comes into contact with the earth 
and acts upon it, producing heat, light and 
electricity. It is concentrated most at the 
equator where its contact with -the earth pro- 
duces eleclro-magnetism, which spreads and 
flows towards the poles, magnetising the 
earth as it passes, gradually changing from 
electricity to Magnetism as it passes from the 
equator to the poles, and finally passes oft' 
from the earth at the poles as pure magnetism , 
which has become negative in character, hav- 
ing imparted its positive or life-giving quali- 
ties to the earth (which is negative) and again 
returning to the sun to be revitalized, thus 
constantly going the rounds from sun to earth 
and from earth back to sun. Thus nature's 
constant process is ever going on, and always 
keeping up its supply of life-giving spirit, and 
its own inexhaustible power; hence is eternal. 

The earth, in turn, imparts this vital force 
to everything it produces upon it. 

The sun's rays concentrating upon the 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 71 

earth magnetise it and everything upon it, 
producing attraction and repulsion, because 
matter, being negative, still retains that 
quality, while spirit, being positive, gives the 
positive force. 

Magnetism is the return electrical current 
and the name is derived from Magic — to charm. 
Magnetism, like electricity, is either positive 
or negative in its action according to how it 
is used by the operator. Electricity is the 
most positive form or manifestation of Spirit 
and magnetism is the most negative form; but 
while magnetism is negative to electricity it is 
still positive to matter. 

The art of the Magician rests entirely upon 
the principle of magnetism, as surely as the 
principles of astrology are derived from the 
science of astronomy. 

The invisible world interpenetrates the visi 
ble world and the relations .which exist be- 
tween the two are made known only through 
the occult forces. Whether we call this all- 
pervading motor of being "divine fire, astral 
light or magnetism," it is the eternal, inde- 
structible, universal and infinite element of 
force. 



72 THE LIVING FIRE 

"Magic, Deific relations, Angelic ministry, 
and spirit communion, are but applications of 
this force, operating upon man, and the vis- 
ible Universe is only a magnificent chess- 
board, on which Force is playing the eternal 
game of creation and destruction, with Suns 
and Satellites for its chessmen. Whilst it be- 
comes evident that the ancients obtained a 
wide control over this stupendous motor pow- 
ers by long study and painful initiations, the 
men of the middle ages in a great measure 
lost the clue to its guidance, and the appari- 
tional demonstrations of its eternal activity, 
revealed by glimpses from the worlds of invis- 
ible being, only served to startle them into 
superstitious terror, without instructing them 
concerning the potential agency at work. 

"Slowly but surely the veil of mystery is 
again lifting, and again men are the cy clops 
at work forging hemispheres and earths, An- 
gels and men, out of matter and spirit by the 
motor power of this self-same lightning. The 
revelation now so slowly yet surely stealing 
in upon human consciousness, has not been 
heralded by the roar of the tempest, the boom 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 73 

of the thunder, or the throes of the quaking* 
earth." 

"Like the still small voice that spoke to the 
Prophet Elijah when the Lord passed by — it 
has come in the low whispers of two new sci- 
ences — the science of Life or magnetism, and 
the science of Soul or Psychology. Only the 
very first elements of these two magical rela- 
tions have as yet dawned upon our age, but 
they have shown us enough to be assured that 
when they are fully understood and scientifi- 
cally applied, they will afford a clue to all the 
mysteries of the past, and enable man to 
achieve by natural law, all those phenomenal 
demonstrations which in ancient times were 
termed miracles." 

We must give to Paracelsus the honor of 
having ?*ediscovered the powers of the magnet 
and restoring to life the almost lost science of 
magnetism, and to the noble and illuminated 
Swedenburg, that of having presented that 
glorious element of Psychological science 
which completely supplemented the opinions 
of Paracelsus concerning magnetism. But it 
remained for Anton Mesmer to combine these 
10 



74 THE LIVING FIRE 

two supreme soul forces into their correlative 
relations, and demonstrate by the practical 
application of magnetism, the possibility of 
emulating the natural endowments of Seer- 
ship, through the revelations of the magnetic 
sleep. 

We cannot attribute to either Paracelsus, 
Swedenburg or Mesmer any new discoveries 
in nature. They only rekindled the lights of 
divine science which had been nearly extin- 
guished in an age of ignorance and supersti- 
tion. 

"Magnetism the life principle and Psychol- 
ogy the soul power of the Universe, had been 
the motors of all magical operations, and 
the knowledge of this fact and an understand- 
ing of how to apply these sublime forces, con- 
stituted the wisdom of the Ancients and 
the arcanum of all their mysteries. But the 
master spirit of antiquity had been slain by 
the destroying domons of time, change and 
revolution. Truth, which is the Master's 
word, had been lost, and for ages the build- 
ing of the grand Temple of Spiritual Science 
waited for the key-stone necessary to com- 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 75 

plete the arch of the entrance gate. The Al- 
chemists of the twelfth and thirteenth cen- 
turies perceived the existence of the "philos- 
opher's stone; but dared not declare that it 
was to be found only in the universal life force 
of Magnetism. The Rosicrucians of two cen- 
turies later realized the true nature of the 
"Elixir Vitae" in the imperishable quality of 
Soul essence, but how could they venture to 
reveal to a scoffing, yet superstitious age, the 
stupendous fact that this Soul essence could 
be controlled, imparted and utilized even with- 
out the agency of death to liberate it from the 
body? It was because Paracelsus bravely 
arfd openly taught of this philosopher's stone, 
giving its true name as Magnetism, and 
Swedenburg as fearlessly displayed the lat- 
ent possibilities of spiritual communion and 
seership in the human Soul, that these noble 
philosophers stand confessed as the Fathers 
of the New Dispensation." 

The momentous revolution which Mesmer 
effected in spiritual Science appoints him to a 
no less triumphant position. 

The "Fire Philosophers " of the middle ages 



76 THE LIVING FIRE 

argued that matter might be resolved back 
into its primordial condition. That every 
variety of material form and substance was 
produced by certain combinations of the orig- 
inal elements and that gold was simply a re- 
sult of the highest combination of these ele- 
ments. 

If, then, they could reduce matter back to 
its primitive condition and recombine only the 



only the \y 
sidence, \ 



liner particles, leaving out the subsi 
they might make gold at will, and that from 
the very same substances that went into the 
composition of iron, lead and the baser met- 
als, which they contended were really goldjrj. 
embryonic condition. 

The great universal agent which would re- 
duce organized forms into chaos was the same 
force by which the natural transmutations 
proceeded in the bowels of the earth, and this 
force they perceived to be that latent, restless, 
invisible fire, which, as we have said before, 
permeates every portion of matter, and which 
gives virtue to certain stones, crystals, min- 
erals, drugs, herbs, plants ; which is the cause 
of astral and solar influences, and which im- 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 77 

parts a special potency to the touch of the hu- 
man hand, the sound of the voice, the glance 
of the eye and even to objects which have been 
worn by a human being. 

Having discovered the universal correspond- 
ence between the realms of nature and the 
sidereal heavens, and the mysterious powers 
of the loadstone they were convinced that the 
great hidden virtue, the motor power of being, 
was the all-pervading fire, which the earth 
transforms into magnetism, which produces 
attraction and repulsion in the mineral, which 
is electricity in the clouds, life in animated 
bodies and force throughout the Universe of 
moving powers. 

"They denominated this Universal Force as 
"the Philosopher's Stone," which applied to 
chemical lore could make and unmake worlds 
— dissolve all bodies and recombine them in 
whatever proportions the accomplished chem- 
ist desired, or if expressed into juices and 
mixed in such degree as would preserve the 
largest amount of this force, in a liquid form, 
it would be the 'Elixir Vitse ' of which those 
who partook, drinking in the true element of 



78 THE LIVING FIRE 

life, might prolong it at will, or if applied with 
a sufficient quantity from time to time, live 
forever." 

And these were no idle dreams as the sci- 
ences which have developed from them amply 
prove. Today we see an electric current re- 
duce to ashes huge bars of metal with a sin- 
gle lightning flash; we observe the most won- 
derful transformation, transmutation and 
chemical change wrought by the all-potential 
magician electricity. We avail ourselves of the 
no less marvellous potency of vital magnetism 
as a restorative of health, and see our modern 
magnetisers administering draughts of the 
Elixir Vitae with every wave of their life-bring- 
ing hands. 

Magnetism is to vibration what vibration is 
to motion. Motion from a center produces a 
force called Vibration. Vibration produces 
something finer and more subtle which is 
wonderfully potent with power and life. This 
is Magnetism. 

Magnetism is life without apparent motion. 
It is quiet, peace, life, warmth, healing and 
everything that is desirable. Electricity is 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 79 

the positive masculine element; magnetism is 
the negative feminine element. Electricity is 
not healing but will clean out and clear the 
way for magnetism to rebuild and restore. 

Magnetism is a master while electricity is 
a slave, and can be commanded and harnessed 
for mechanical uses. Electricity is the de- 
stroyer, and magnetism the builder. Elec- 
tricity is always projected outward while mag- 
netism is the drawing power. 

There are three kinds of magnetism, terres- 
trial, animal and spiritual magnetism. 

Terrestrial magnetism is that caused by 
the earth whirling through space and creating 
an atmosphere, also by the action of the sun's 
rays upon the earth and being transformed 
by the earth from electricity into magnetism. 

Animal magnetism is the magnetism pro- 
duced by animated life. It is the magnetism 
derived from the earth and air and trans- 
formed to the uses of the individual. It may 
be either good or bad according to the envi- 
ronment, habits and condition of the person. 

Spiritual magnetism is that generated by 
the intense action of concentrated purpose 



80 THJi LIVING FIRE 

and purity of thought. It is this magnetism 
that attracts higher intelligences either in or 
out of the body. Spiritual magnetism is what 
gave Jesus the power to heal by the touch of 
his hand, the glance of his eye and the sound 
of his voice. You can never give this magne- 
tism but yon can allow people to take it from 
you. It is the reservoir of life, of healing, of 
peace, of power. 

Magnetism will draw and hold and if you 
cannot keep your loved ones it is because you 
lack magnetism. There is but one way to 
increase your spiritual magnetism and that is 
to increase your universal love. It is the 
great key to all occult phenomena. 

Electricity is the head and magnetism is the 
heart of the world. Its secret is love. Elec- 
tricity repels and magnetism attracts. It 
must be produced by conditions in yourself. 
If you worry and fret you will never be mag- 
netic. It is the vehicle of ideas and will. In 
operating it you enter into the temple. Those 
who have learned its power, of extracting it 
from the great reservoir, have already entered 
into the temple and no power can keep them 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 81 

out. Spiritual magnetism can be increased 
by contemplation and meditation. It comes 
from the Infinite Source of Lo\e, Life and 
Light. 

Animal magnetism is capable of being trans- 
mitted through the pores of the skin by 
thought and by touch. Magnetism and elec- 
tricity are different motions of the same fluid. 
As applied to persons it is either electric or 
magnetic which brings us to the 

TWO TYPES OF MANKIND. 

There are twojtypes of organism which are 
common to mankind in which there circulates 
an excess of the Astral fluid thus bestowing 
on them natural spiritual endowments. 

The first of these is an individual having a 
compact, well-knit frame, inclined to the nu- 
tritive temperament and rather fleshy. These 
individuals are generally straightforward, 
somewhat authoritive, occasionally egotistic 
and fond of display; they are also kind-hearted, 
benevolent, and especially attracted to sick 
persons. They generally have a clear eye. 
direct glance and sometimes, piercing eye. 
11 



82 THE LIVING FIRE 

In this type there exists an excess of Astral 
fluid endowing the individual with good health, 
a vigorous frame, a moderately active mind, 
and a general tendency toward social life and 
material enjoyment. 

These persons are almost always "good mag- 
netizers," and the excess of the Astral fluid 
in their organism makes them wish to use 
their gift, and impels them to magnetize sick 
people. It was from this class that the an- 
cients selected their Therapeutic healers and 
the Priests who were employed in the mag- 
netic healing rites of the Temple service. The 
eye as the window of the Soul, and the hand 
as the prime conductor of the Astral fluid, 
are always well deveveloped in these natural 
mesmerizers. 

When the eye is clear, full, and luminous, 
and the hand soft and warm, the Astral fluid 
is of healthful character. 

If the eye is piercing, brilliant or almond- 
shaped, and the hand is damp and moist, or 
hard and dry, the man of this type will produce 
a stronger mental impression than physical, 
but they are nearly always good mesmerizers 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 83 

and the larger the front brain, the better will 
be the effect and the more healthful the power 
produced. But always a well-informed mind, 
and a concentrated will is required to render 
them servicable; with the proper mental at- 
tributes to guide their powers and direct the 
projection of the Astral fluid they will be ad- 
mirable healers of the sick. 

The individual of the second type which we 
will now describe is more concentrated and 
energetic, and one in whom the intellectual 
temperament prevails over the nutritive or 
social. 

In this type there is a great excess of the 
Astral fluid but it centers chiefly about the 
cerebrum. The brain and nervous system ab- 
sorb the excess of Astral fluid, instead of the 
fibrous and muscular tissues as in the other 
type. These persons generally have a large 
and finely developed head. They become fine 
psychologists and in ancient times formed the 
class of Adepts, Master Spirits or Priestly 
Hierophants. 

In the first type the excess of Astral fluid 
generally clusters around the stomach and 



84 THE LIVING FIRE 

heart and Is more generally diffused through- 
out the whole system, rendering the person 
magnetic and a powerful healer, but without 
any marked intellectual ability. 

In the second type the Astral fluid inheres 
more closely to the soul than to the body j 
exalts the top of the head rather than the 
front; compels a predominence of the organs 
of command and ideality, giving great intellect- 
ual power. 

Both of these types inherit an excess of the 
Astral fluid through solar and planetary in 7 
fluence at time of birth and during their em- 
bryonic life. It is the distribution of this As- 
tral fluid throughout the body of the one and 
its centering around the brain of the other 
which constitutes the difference between the 
mere magnetic healer and the psychologist. 
The healer will always bring a powerful and 
soothing influence to the sick, and the other 
will be a leader in whatever sphere of life he 
may be placed. These two types are natural 
magicians, and, if they understand their own 
powers, they will know that by bringing the 
excess of Astral fluid in their bodies under the 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 85 

control of the Will they can induce a self-mag- 
netized condition whereby they can project 
their Astral Spirit out into space, and go 
where they will, and even make themselves 
known and seen and heard and gain much 
knowledge in that way. They can also induce 
these powers in others by magnetic and psy- 
chologic contact. 

A "sensitive" is a person in whom, from 
inherited causes and Astral influences pre* 
vailing at birth, an immense amount of the 
Astral fluid exists but is given off too rapidly, 
owing to the peculiar conformation of the tis? 
sues which form the physical body. In the 
two types first described, the Astral fluid is 
concentrated, the tissues of the body are firm 
and compact, and the magnetic power is due 
only to its super-abundance. The sensitive 
has this same abundance of magnetic force, 
but is totally lacking in the concentration and 
solidarity which distinguishes the first and 
second types, and for this reason is unable to 
retain his magnetism. Both the first and sec- 
ond types are positive, physically and men- 
tally while the "sensitive" is entirely nega* 






86 THE LIVING FIRE 

tive. They represent the operator and sub- 
ject. 

The magnetizer imparts strength from his 
strength. The medium, or Sensitive, gives 
up the life principle and becomes depleted, 
then insensibly draws upon the forces of oth- 
ers. Every nerve is laid bare, every pore is a 
conductor of the too rapidly ebbing life fluid. 
They are in consequence exceedingly sensitive, 
restless, nervous, and susceptible to every 
influence with which they come in contact. The 
life principle flows off too rapidly through 
their tissues leaving them irritable, weak and 
despoiled. 

These three types of persons who are nat- 
urally endowed with an excess of magnetism 
make the best magical operators, but those 
who are not so endowed may acquire an ex- 
cess of the Astral fluid by breathing it in from 
the atmosphere. 

Breathing is the most important act of our 
lives for it is by breathing in the pure vital 
spirit, or positive sun energy , that we live. Life 
surrounds us on every side. Everything 
teems with life everywhere and yet people 






TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 87 

who live in the midst of life sicken and die be- 
cause they do not appropriate enough of the 

universal life to supply their needs. It is the 

,vh v ■ ■ ■ • ' • I 11 

pure spirit we breathe into our lungs that 

purifies the blood. It is spirit^ the living firej 
that furnishes the life giving quality of the 
air. As long as we continue to breathe and 
take in spirit we will live, whether it be in this 
world or some other. We build up the physi- 
cal body by the food we eat, the Astral body- 
by breathing and the soul by meditation. By 

v ! .1 S " ————— ■ - ^ 

breathing we take in vital spirit which diffuses 
itself throughout the body causing it to pul- 
sate with life and health. In addition to the 
usual constant breathing we should take reg- 
ular meals of air at least as many times a day 
as we eat food. 

Human or animal magnetism is generated 
in the body by breathing in the spirit or liv- 
ing fire from the atmosphere. The spirit, be- 
ing inhaled, passes quickly into the blood and 
with it to the brain, and acting on the brain 
as the solution in a galvanic battery acts on 
the carbon of the battery, so does the vitalized 
blood act upon the phosphorus (carbon) of the 



x 



88 THE LIVING FIRE 

brain, producing electricity, which goes out 
from the brain around the nerves, using them 
as a coil or helix, thus changing the electricity 
from the brain into magnetism, which mag- 
netises the whole body, making it a living hur 
man magnet. 

The quality and quantity of magnetism will 
be in proportion to the amount of spirit 
breathed into the blood, and in proportion to 
the quality and quantity of blood and its rate 
of circulation, and its proportion to the qual- 
ity and quantity of the brain and its powers 
of action; large lungs, pure blood and well- 
developed brain are necessary to produce 
magnetic power. 

The brain is a galvanic battery and the 
spinal cord, with all the nerves, is a conductor 
to conduct electricity to every part of the body, 
giving, vitality and life to every organ, and 
man, as a supreme magnet, can, like other 
magnets, throw his magnetism from every 
part of his body, and especially from his eyes 
and hands, which are the best conductors, and 
through them he can impart his magnetism 
to other persons. It is only necesasry to 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 89 

make the connection through the eyes or 
hands for the subject to be operated upon. 

In some persons the electricity passes 
from the brain along the nerves and nearly out 
of the body before it changes to magnetism, 
thus making the persons power very electric 
or positive; such persons can ignite a gas jet 
with the end of their finger and produce 
shocks, affecting their patients in the manner 
of an electric battery. Other persons are 
very magnetic in their influence, because the 
electricity from the brain changes rapidly in- 
to magnetism, — such operators do not shock 
their patients but produce a mild soothing ef- 
fect, and induce sleep in susceptible persons. 
These persons are true magnetic healers. 

In positive, hot-blooded persons, the mag- 
netism is positive and hot and can be used to 
best advantage in curing persons of a negative 
temperament and negative diseases. In the 
negative temperament the magnetism is neg- 
ative and cooling and such persons will be 
most suited to treat positive diseases and hot- 
blooded persons. There should be a suitable 
adaptation in everything and especially in one 
12 



90 THE LIVING FIRE 

person treating another; and all companions 
and associations should be selected on this 
principle. The quality of animal magnetism 
depends on the condition, health and power 
of the operator — we give such as we have. 
The operator must himself be pure and heal- 
thy before he can make others so. 

Magnetism is a wonderful power and wor- 
thy of our greatest labors and highest hopes. 
By its use we may heal the sick save life and 
fill the world with health and happiness. 

Moses used this power in the wilderness to 
heal the sick, to make Joshua a seer and a 
prophet, and a fit leader for the hosts of Israel, 
by laying his hands on him, thus conveying 
the magnetic power and filling him full of the 
life-giving spirit. All the prophets used it 
and Elijah conveyed it on Elisha through his 
mantle as a conductor of magnetism. Elisha 
afterwards conveyed it through his hands to 
the head of his servant and made him clair- 
voyant ; and with the same power Elisha healed 
the sick and raised the dead as Elijah his tut- 
or had done. Jesus used this power through 
water, clay, through garments and through 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 91 

the laying on of hands and taught his dis- 
ciples to do the same and it has been done by 
the faithful ever since and is being done by 
them now. He taught his disciples and sent 
them out to preach and heal, promising that 
the good work should continue throughout all 
time, and that he would be present always. 
In another place we will give the directions for 
acquiring magnetism. 

HUMAN TEMPERAMENTS 

In the study of man as a composite being 
it is quite an aid to have an understanding of 
the several different types or temperaments 
and I therefore give them here. I follow the 
classification made and given by Dr. J. B. 
Campbell, of Cincinnati, Ohio. 

In studying the human being, the most im- 
portant part is his temperament or conditions 
and development of brain, and general shape 
and structure. And as man is a dual being, 
both matter and spirit, both body and soul— 
we must study his temperamental condition 
in relation to both, and to do so properly we 
will commence with the 



92 THE LIVING FIRE 

PHYSICAL TEMPERAMENTS. 

There are two physical temperaments, the 
positive and the negative. As there is heat 
and cold, light and darkness, day and night, 
spirit and matter, male and female so there is 
positive and negative in everything. So in 
man's physical nature there is his positive and 
negative condition to determine and under- 
stand. And this knowledge is of great im- 
portance and use in reading man's character, 
condition and health, and especially to read 
and understand his natural diseases and physi- 
cal condition, and pointing out the proper 
remedy and treatment for disease, according 
to temperamental condition. 

Temperament relates to shape, and condi- 
tion and characteristics, but not color of hair 
or complexion; temperament is shape, forma- 
tion and size, not color. 

INDICES OF TEMPERAMENT 

The positive physical temperament is known 
by its large base of brain ; large, full and broad 
lower forehead ; wide across the eyes ; broad 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 93 

head; wide between the ears; large, deep and 
broad back head and lower part of brain; big 
neck ; wide face : projecting cheek bones ; broad 
shoulders; deep chest, and large stomach. 
The larger these conditions as described, the 
more positive the temperament; and the less 
these conditions are, of course the less posi- 
tive the temperament of the person will be ; 
and some persons may be less and less in posi- 
tive condition, until the smallest or most ex- 
treme opposite condition may be reached, then 
the temperament becomes, or is, negative, in 
proportion to its opposite conditions, as de- 
scribed, as belonging to the positive tempera- 
ment. There are extreme positive and ex- 
treme negative temperaments, with all the 
grades filling up between (and the middle be- 
tween would be a balanced condition). 

CLASSIFICATION OF THE PHYSICAL TEMPERA- 
MENTS 

There are two divisions of the positive tem- 
perament, the bilious-positive and the san- 
guine positive, with their shades, grades, de- 
grees and varieties. 



94 THE LIVING FIRE 

The positive-bilious temperament is known 
by its 

BILIOUS COMPLEXION. 

Black or brown or sallow hair, and bilious, 
sallow skin. While the color of the hair does 
not control the temperament, it does control 
complexion, shows condition and gives char- 
acter to disease. 

The sanguine-positive temperament is known 
by its 

SANGUINE COMPLEXION. 

Red, auburn or golden hair, and florid skin, 
showing the sanguine or inflammatory condi- 
tion, which gives character to disease in pro- 
portion to the degree and intensity of the gov- 
erning temperament. 

(Temperaments are indicated by size, shape 
and formation, not by color of hair or skin). 

There are two divisions of the negative tem- 
perament, the nervous-negative and the lym- 
phatic-negative, with their shades, grades, de- 
grees and varieties. 

The nervous-negative temperament is known 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 9-") 

by its narrow head ; long neck; thin chest ; long 
arms and slim fingers; small body and thin, 
slim legs. A person having this shape will be 
nervous-negative in temperament no matter 
what the color of the hair or skin may be. 

Persons of this temperament are weak and 
negative in proportion to the extent of this 
nervous temperament, which is known by size 
and shape, and will be nervous and weakly in 
proportion to the extent of diseased conditions. 

Persons of this temperament, though not 
stout or robust, yet in health are very active, 
and endure a great deal, and can do a great 
deal of light, active work, and much mental 
labor. They are our thinkers, and are the 
most sensitive and most loving, though they, 
may be Platonic. 

The lymphatic negative temperament is 
known by its round head; full face; large, 
round body; large neck ; large breasts; large 
arms ; large abdomen and large legs ; with soft, 
moist, cold skin, and general dropsical condi- 
tion. This is the weakest of all temperaments, 
often prostrating the patient and rendering 
them helpless. Though being fleshy they gen- 



96 THE LIVING FIRE 

erally look well, while they are indeed feeling 
bad, and get little or no sympathy, when they 
really need the. most. The color of the hair 
and skin does not regulate or control this tem- 
perament (as color does not control any tem- 
perament), yet light haired and fair skinned 
people are most liable to be lymphatic, and 
generally females are more liable than males. 
This is the dropsical or water temperament, 
and is therefore the most negative; while the 
hot dry sanguine temperament is the most 
positive of all. 

The bilious temperament is shown by com- 
plexion, and gives bilious character to disease 
in proportion to the positiveness of the tem- 
perament. The sanguine temperament is 
shown by complexion, and gives inflammatory 
character to disease in proportion to the posi- 
tiveness of the temperament. 

The nervous temperament is shown by 
shape and condition, and gives nervous char- 
acter to disease in proportion to the negative- 
ness of the temperament. The lymphatic is 
shown by shape and condition, and gives char- 
acter to the disease in proportion to the lym- 
phatic negativeness of the temperament. 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 97 

COMPLEXION 

Shows the condition, no matter what the 
temperament may be. Any temperament 
may be bilious or sanguine in some of its 
shades and varieties, and governs disease ac- 
cordingly, and requires proper treatment in 
accordance to the degree of temperament and 
shade of complexion. Temperament, com 
plexion, sex and age are all employed in the 
diagnosis of disease. 

COMPATIBILITY 

Compatibility of temperaments in couples 
who have to live together is of great import- 
ance in regulating their health and happiness, 
and that of their offspring, and in all business 
and all associations of life. All people, and 
especially the young, should study and un- 
derstand temperament, and form their associ- 
ations accordingly. I repeat, this is of the ut- 
most importance to all. 

Men are, or should be, positives, but some 
are very negative — real feminine (she) men. 

Women are, or should be, negatives, but 
13 



98 THE LIVING FIRE 

some are very positive — real masculine (he) 
women. 

But whatever man is, his mate should be 
opposite in temperament to him. 

And whatever a woman is, her mate should 
be opposite in temperament to her. And it 
is better for the doctor and nurse to be oppo- 
site in temperament (and sex) to the patient. 

THE TEMPERAMENT GIVES CHARACTER TO THE 
DISEASE THAT THE PERSON MAY HAVE 

The sanguine form of the positive tempera- 
ment gives inflammatory and scrofulous dis- 
eases. 

The bilious form of the positive tempera- 
ment gives liver complaint, fever and con- 
sumption. 

The encephalic form of the negative tem- 
perament gives brain, nerve and mental dis- 
eases. 

The lymphatic form of the negative tem- 
perament gives dropsical and glandular dis- 
eases. 

SELECTION OF PARENTS 

A person who is all positive or nearly so, 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 99 

should select a partner that is half or a little 
more than half, negative, then they will be 
happy and their children healthy. 

A person who is mostly negative, should se- 
lect a partner that is all positive, then all will 
be well. 

ASCERTAINING THE TEMPERAMENTS FURTHER 
BY THE FEELING OF THE HAND 

In the sanguine-positive the hand is warm 
and dry. 

In the bilious-positive the hand is hard and 
rough. 

In the encephalic-negative the hand is 
smooth, slim and weak. 

In the lymphatic-negative the hand is cold, 
moist and plump. 

THE PULSE IN TEMPERAMENTS 

In the sanguine-positive the pulse is quick 
and strong. 

In the bilious-positive the pulse is slow and 
full. 

In the encephalic-negative the pulse is slow 
and easy. 



100 THE LIVING FIRE 

With these plain directions any person can 
read temperament, and be guided aright in 
selecting compatible companions for life, and 
understand and distinguish diseases. 

BAD RESULTS OF THE INCOMPATIBILITY OF 
PARENTS 

A marriage with a person of the same tem- 
perament as yourself no children would re- 
sult. 

If both parties are all of the positive tem- 
perament, there could be no offspring. 

If both parties are principally of the nega- 
tive temperament, their children will be dead- 
born. 

If the parties differ but little in tempera- 
ment, then their children will be few, sickly 
and short-lived. 

If the sanguine-positive is overpowered by 
the encephalic or nervous negative in both par- 
ents, their children will die in infancy with 
dropsy of the brain, or scrofulous inflamma- 
tion of its membranes. 

If the bilious-positive is overcome by the en- 
cephalic-negative in both parents, their child- 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 101 

ren will be rickety, idiotic and imbecile, or die 
in infancy with brain fever. 

If the sanguine-positive is overcome by the 
lymphatic- negative in both parents, their 
children will die young of some scrofulous 
forms of disease. (N. B. — This is the condi- 
tion that produces scrofula.) 

If the bilious-positive is overcome by the 
lymphatic-negativein both parents, their child- 
ren will die young with consumption of the 
brain, lungs, or abdominal glands. (N. B.— 
This is the condition that produces consump- 
tion, that scourge of our race.) 

Incompatibility of parents is the MAIN 
cause of weakly, sickly and dying children, 
and is the first cause of most of the sickness 
of matured life. 

And these causes are increasing to an alarm- 
ing extent overwhelming our land in sickness, 
gloom and death. 

Every person should make it the great aim 
of life to select a proper conjugal mate, their 
true opposite : then they themselves would be 
happy, and their children healthy and long 
lived. And this can be done by a knowledge 



102 THE LIVING FIRE 

of this science. Those who are incompatibly 
married, can be benefited by the proper treat- 
ment, and thus all can be happy and healthy. 

SPIRITUAL TEMPERAMENTS 

In addition to the physical temperaments, 
as previously described, there are spiritual 
temperaments, and" degrees of spiritual con- 
struction and organization. As man is a dual 
being, composed of both matter and spirit, 
he must have temperamental correlations of 
both, and both (principally) represented by 
the shape of the brain, and as the material 
temperament is represented or shown by the 
base or lower sides of the brain, so the spirit- 
ual must be shown by the upper sides of the 
brain; and the temperament is spiritually 
positive or negative in proportion and in ac- 
cordance with the size of the upper sides and 
top brain. 

The very spiritual positive temperament is 
known by long and wide brain at its upper 
sides and top. The upper front brain is large 
and projecting at the upper part of the fore- 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 103 

head, and at the upper part of the sides and 
back of the head — giving large causalty, hu- 
manity, benevolence, imitation, ideality, spirit- * 
uality, sublimity, hope, approbativeness, self- 
esteem, and continuity. 

A deficiency of any part of the upper brain 
would show a corresponding deficiency in 
positiveness and spiritual power of that part, 
or of the brain or faculty represented by that 
part, and would be spiritually negative in pro- 
portion to the smallness of this part of the 
brain. 

Persons differ very widely in these respects, 
and this difference is always shown by the 
shape of the head. 

Some persons may be both spiritually and 
physically positive; then they are powerful in- 
deed. This double positive temperament and 
sanguine complexion is the most vital. Others 
may be both spiritually and physically nega- 
tive, and then they are negative indeed — es- 
pecially if the physical negative is of the lym- 
phatic or watery character; then they may be 
said to be as weak as water. The lymphatic 
is the weakest of all negatives, though persons 



1C4 THE LIVING FIRE 

of this temperament generally look fleshy and 
stout; and they get no sympathy in their sick- 
* ness, when really they deserve the most. 

But, happily, persons are not generally all 
negative. Most persons who are spiritually 
positive are generally physically negative, and 
most who are physically positive are spirit- 
ually negative — both positives rarely ever, 
and both negatives perhaps never, coming to- 
gether in the same person. 

With a little study and some observation 
intelligent persons can soon learn to read tem- 
perament correctly; any observing person 
can plainly see the difference in persons' 
heads, and can classify their temperament 
accordingly. These conditions also show 
plainly in animals, the strong, robust, fero- 
cious lion, tiger, hyena, wolf, panther, bull- 
dog, wild cat, eagle, hawk, etc., all have wide 
heads between the ears, are broad across the 
eyes, and are known to be physically positive; 
while deer, sheep, and other narrow-headed 
animals are known to be physically negative- 
timid and weak." And so with the human ani- 
mal; they are in temperament and character 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 105 

in accordance with the shape of their heads 
as described above; and their diseases will be 
ferocious or mild in character in proportion to 
the person'spositive or negative temperament, 
complexion, and condition (and the power and 
strength and nature of the remedy must be in 
proportion to condition). 

In reading human temperaments in full, we 
generally take into consideration the shape of 
the head, face, neck, shoulders, chest, and 
body. But we want it expressly understood 
that the lymphatic, watery, dropsical condi- 
tion, though looking very big and apparently 
stout, is really very weak; and this condition 
will make the otherwise positive person very 
negative, and will require positive treatment to 
correct (but will need negative treatment at 
first to carry off the water). 

Elisha, the prophet, understood this law of 
duality. He, being of the sanguine-positive 
temperament, knew that his hot magnetism 
would not benefit the hot positive disease of 
Naaman, the leper, who was also of the posi- 
tive temperament, so he did not lay his hands 
on him to cure him but sent him to the river 
14 



106 



THE LIVING FIRE 



Jordan to bathe. He well knew that the hot, 
positive disease of leprosy could be cured only 
by the cold, cooling, negative water. Being a 
physician of good judgment he concluded that 
seven baths would cure him so he prescribed 
accordingly. Hydrophobia and all diseases of 
like nature may be cured by immersion in 
water. 



DEVELOPMENT OP THE ASTRAL 

As has heretofore been stated man is a tri- 
une being composed of body, spirit and soul 
and is therefore capable of manifesting on 
three planes, viz: the physical, Astral and Di- 
vine, which represent the material, intellec- 
tual and moral natures. It is all a matter of 
the varying rates of vibration. The magnetic 
and electric currents (currents are the result 
of vibrations caused by changes of polariza- 
tion of the atoms) operate close to the physi- 
cal plane and we have knowledge of their ef- 
fects on that plane. 

The Etheric current which is a more intense 
rate of vibration, operates upon the Astral 
plane and is a type of primary thought force, 
moving by its own volition. 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 107 

It is this current which acts through the 
subconscious mind and controls the action of 
the involuntary muscles of the body, and that 
develops the latent life within the seed. 

Above the others and still more intense 
works the Auraic current, which is the vibra- 
tion of thought permeated by the potency of 
the Will. Or, in other words, it is primary 
thought force rendered more intense by the 
action of the Will, as when a rising tide is 
swept along by a strong wind. Each of these 
cuirrents can be controlled on its own plain 
by the spirit energy of the Higher Self. Each 
of the superior can control each or all of the in- 
ferior. Each of these currents emanate* 
from the One source and differ only in inten- 
sity caused by their contact with the lower. 
The magnetic current slowly ripens and re- 
fines the crudities of matter with which it 
comes in contact. The electric are still more 
intense. The invisible effects of these two cur- 
rents are fully as deep and lasting, but not so 
easily comprehended by the personal sense 
as the visible. 

We must not suppose that there is any di- 



108 THE LIVING FIRE 

viding line in the action of these various cur- 
rents but we must perceive them as penetrat- 
ing and interpenetrating each other, acting in, 
through and against each other and the 
stronger will control. 

It is but a step from the inorganic to the 
organic and that difference we call vitality. 
This is the power of retaining heat saturated 
with light for an indefinite period. This is 
due to the currents emanating from the spir- 
itual force which are modified by the slow r er 
vibrations of the environment. The physical 
body is the environment of the astral or life 
forces and hold them condensed within it, 
causing an individualized entity. 

Desire is the mainspring of life and when it 
ceases death ensues, whether it be the death 
of the body or the death of a cherished am- 
bition. Without the desire to create and con- 
tinue its existence it ceases to be. 

The power of sustaining organic life comes 
from desire. Desire is caused by the spirit 
force emanating from the Ego, coming in con- 
tact with the resistance of the environment 
and being reflected back. That is, the lower 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 109 

or outer vibrations raove ruore slowly than the 
upper or inner vibrations. The slower impede 
the faster which turns them back upon them- 
selves. This backward movement would cause 
a certain amount of resistance, and this force, 
so sent out and so returning, modified by its 
point of contact, becomes desire. 

This force dues not act directly upon the 
physical but through the lower consciousness. 
The strength of the emotion depends on the 
intensity of the desire, and the desire, in turn 
depends upon the intensity of the vibrations 
emanating from the Ego and the resistance 
of the environment. The stronger the emo- 
tion the more it will overwhelm and be recog- 
nized by a whirling about the head, and a^seju- 
sation of heat from head to foot. The emo- 
tion of desire ranges from the ordinary wish, 
without any expectation of accomplishment, 
to the overpowering desire to will and obtain. 

In the organism of man are many different 
rates of vibration belonging to the different 
parts of the whole, and all these different vi- 
brations must be harmonized, and the lower 
brought under the control of the higher, be^ 



110 THE LIVING FIRE 

fore one can become potent with power. You 
must bring all the forces of your individual 
being into harmony with each other and place 
them under the control of the Will, that is, be- 
come self-centred, and you will then find that 
you are in harmony with the Universe, and 
able to utilize its laws and play upon its forces. 
You will then have attained the At-one-ment, 
when your intense thought concentrated on 
the ONE can receive from the ALL, the force 
and energy, which renders the manifestation 
of your own potency possible. It is only 
through such attainment that you will be able 
to attain the Power to swing open the gates of 
life, make earth a paradise, annihilate disease, 
banish wrong, perfect your manhood or wo- 
manhood, triumph over death, gain immor- 
tality and live forever. 

In order to harmonize the vibrations we 
must commence with the lower and raise them 
to the next higher plane. This may be done 
by breathing which extracts the living lire 
from the great universal sea of life and light 
that surrounds us on every side, thereby giv- 
ing health and strength to the body, and raises 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 111 

the vibrations to the Astral plane. It devel- 
ops an excess of Astral fluid within the body 
which is the instrument of power. The first 
exercise to be taken up is the 

PRANAYAMA BREArH 

The Pranayama breath should be practiced 
for the first four weeks by the Neophyte or 
the person who is just starting out upon the 
Path. The Chela or advanced student should 
take the Pranayama breath (exercise given 
for fourth week) once or twice a week. 

Breath has three stages : inhaling, exhaling 
and restraining. The time for restraining 
should be double the time for inhaling. 

First Week. — Stand erect, shoulders well 
back, abdomen in, heels together, toes 
pointing outward, limbs rigid and arms at 
sides, close the right nostril with the fore- 
finger, inhale steadily through the left nostril 
four seconds or while counting four, then 
close the left nostril and exhale slowly and 
steadily through the left while counting eight ; 
then with the left nostril still closed inhale 
through the right four seconds, then again 



112 THE LIVING FIRE 

close the right and exhale through the left in 
eight seconds. Continue these alternate in- 
halations and exhalations for ten minutes, 
then sit for three minutes and practice taking 
short rapid breaths. By this ''panting" 
breath one is able to take into the system 
more of the electrical force from the atmos- 
phere than would otherwise be possible. It 
is a well-known fact that when any' form of 
animal life becomes exausted it resorts to 
these short rapid breaths to more quickly re- 
store equilibrium again. The slow and even 
inhalations and exhalations are for the pur- 
pose of bringing the breathing under the con- 
trol of the Will, and obtaining control of the 
nervous system. 

Second Week. — Assume the same position 
as before, but before beginning the exercise 
hold in your mind this thought: "Let all be- 
ings be peaceful, let all mankind be happy, let 
all beings be blissful." Now close the right 
nostril, inhale through the left six seconds, 
retain the breath in the lungs sixteen seconds, 
holding both nostrils closed during this time, 
then exhale through the right in eight sec- 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 113 

oriels ; keep the left nostril closed and inhale 
through the right in six seconds, again re- 
strain sixteen seconds, and exhale through 
the left nostril in eight seconds. Continue 
these alternate breathings for ten minutes, 
holding the breath in the lungs sixteen sec- 
onds after each inhalation. During the sec- 
ond week you must strongly will that with 
each inhalation you send the current down to 
the triangle at the base of the spinal column 
wherein is located the latent or stored up 
energy, and with each exhalation you must 
will to force the current upward through the 
Ida and Pingala to the brain. 

Third Week. — Assume the same position 
as in first two exercises, inhale in six seconds 
through the left nostril, exhale in eight sec- 
onds' through the right, now hold out sixteen 
seconds, then inhale through the right, exhale 
through the left and again hold out sixteen 
seconds. Continue for ten minutes after 
which take the short rapid breaths for three 
minutes as in the other two weeks. 

Fourth Week. — Close the right nostril, 
inhale in eight seconds through the left, re- 
15 



k/ 



114 THE LIVING FIRE 

strain or hold in sixteen seconds, exhale 
through the right in eight seconds, hold out 
sixteen seconds, inhale again through the 
right, hold in, exhale through the left, hold 
out, and so on for ten minutes. : Then take the 
rapid breaths as before. 

The length of time for development varies 
in different persons, being dependent upon 
sincerity and strength of purpose, tempera- 
ment and method of life. Some may begin to 
perceive phenomena after the second week 
and others perhaps not until after long train- 
ing. The phenomena will appear first in the 
circular form. You may receive impressions 
of friends a short time before meeting or 
hearing from them, or perceive strains of 
music or perfumes of flowers without any ap- 
parent cause. Your perceptions will be 
quickened and if you observe closely you will 
note the improvement in many ways. 

The short rapid breaths charge the body 
with electricity which changes into magne- 
tism and is stored away for future use. The 
cross breathings change the texture of the 
gray matter of the brain and spinal cord by 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 115 

making it lighter and more sensitive. It is 
the medium through which the spirit or inner 
mind communicates with the outer or objec- 
tive mind, and vice versa. When the breath 
comes in at the right nostril it is electric and 
positive; when it comes in at the left nostril it 
is magnetic and negative. The two must be 
in equilibrium and when one is in ill health 
these breathings are not equal. By equaliz- 
ing the breathing health may be restored. 

The center of the stored- up energy of the 
body which places one in immediate relation 
with the higher vibratory forces, or that 
which elevates to the Astral plane, is situated 
at the base of the spinal column in the shape 
of a, triangle. This latent force exists in every 
human being and by the ancient Hindus was 
termed the Ojas. It is connected with the 
brain by two small nerve tracts. One is situ- 
ated at the left of the spinal column and is 
called the Ida, and the other one on the right 
is called the Pingala. By practicing the Pran- 
ayama breath the vibration is accelerated and 
the Ojas forced to travel the Ida and Pingala 
upward to the brain. When this is accoin- 



116 THE LIVING FIRE 

plished the Neophyte has harmonized his vi- 
brations and raised them to the Astral plane, 
thus bringing him in touch with the great in- 
visible world of force and entities which exist 
in direct proportion to the visible. 

Another curious little structure is located 
at the base of the brain, deep down within the 
skull, and is called the "Pineal Gland." This 
gland was known to the ancients and was 
called by them the "All-Seeing Eye " or the 
eye of the Soul. The Hindus called it the 
"Eye of Siva," who was the third person of 
the Hindu Trinity, and was the Regenerator 
and Transformer as well as the Destroyer. 

This gland is the center of intuition and in- 
spiration in the brain, and its function is to 
receive these delicate impressions and regis- 
ter them in our consciousness so that we may 
make use of them. 

DAILY DRILL 

After completing the breathing exercises 
given for the fourth week the following exer- 
cises may be taken up. For all breaths except 
the concentration breath the position should 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 117 

be as given for the Pranayama Breath. Al- 
ways inhale through the nostrils, mouth closed, 
until the abdomen is well extended, and the 
lungs are filled to their fullest capacity, hold 
the breath double the time it took for inhaling, 
then exhale slowly and evenly, drawing the 
abdomen in well towards the spine. Always 
when inhaling hold to the thought that you 
are receiving Divine Will, Peace, Power, life, 
Knowledge, Health and Wisdom, while re- 
straining hold to the thought that all these are 
yours, and while exhaling, think that all hu- 
man frailty, error, ignorance, weakness, dis- 
ease and misery are going from you. When 
inhaling always fill the lungs as full as pos- 
sible and when exhaling always expel the 
breath as completely as possible. 

MORNING BREATHS 

First Magnetic. — These morning breaths 
are best taken just before breakfast. Stand 
facing the East, chest bare, at an open win- 
dow in the usual position. As you inhale raise 
the arms until they are horizontal with the 
shoulders, keeping the fingers rigid and apart. 



118 THE LIVING FIRE 

Now raise on the balls of the feet, taking in a 
little more breath, holding the thought of Will 
and increasing power from the beginning to 
inhale, through the time of restraining, until 
the moment you begin to exhale, then quickly 
change to "Let all weakness go from me." 

Second Magnetic or Pack Breath.— 
Same as the preceding breath except that 
when raised on the balls of the feet turn your 
hands over quickly, palms upward, asking 
mentally for more Will; then as you raise on 
the toes, bring the arms forward until extend- 
ed straight in front of you, asking for more 
Will. Now close the hands slowly, as if draw- 
ing or holding the thought. Bring them to 
the chest, and after restraining the proper 
time, exhale slowly, bring the arms back to 
their first position and change the thought as 
in previous breath. 

Expansion Breath. — Stand as in First 
Magnetic, except with the palms forward. 
Inhale with a rush, raising the arms straight 
lor- ward, then raise on balls of feet, then on 
toes, asking for more Will, etc., and raising 
the arms higher each time; restrain, then 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 119 

change the thought and exhale, bringing 
hands down to toes if possible, keeping the 
limbs and knees rigid. 

Breath for Balancing the Astral 
Body. — Stand with the right foot in front of 
the left as far as you comfortably can; hold 
the thought to Universal Life. Sway forward, 
bending the left foot until you rest on its toes, 
inhaling; then backward, until the left foot 
rests flat on the floor, bending the right foot 
to the heel, exhaling. When you have gained 
a steady movement begin by lifting the right 
arm straight above the head, holding the hand 
like a cup, droping the arm to the side as you 
swing backward. Repeat this motion several 
times, then go through the exercise using both 
arms the same way, breathing in as you move 
forward and out as you move backward. Then 
reverse the movement, standing with the left 
foot in front of the right and swinging the left 
arm up and down, then both arms. 

Second Movement. — Steady the body as 
above, then with the forward swing bring 
both arms up above the head, palms turned 
in;" now drop the hands, touching the shoul- 



120 THE LIVING FIRE 

ders with the tips of the fingers, sweeping 
downward, turning the palms back as they 
fall to the side. 

Third Movement. — Steady the body as at 
first, then with the forward swing lift both 
arms above the head, palms toward each other, 
drop them until the fingers touch the head, 
then drop the arms down and outward to the 
side. 

Balancing the Astral. No. 2.— Get the 
rythmic swing of the body as in No. one; 
stand with the right foot in advance of the left. 
Hold the right hand straight in front of the 
body, keeping the eyes fixed on the finger 
nails. Begin to move forward, resting the 
weight of the body more and more on the 
right foot as you raise the left foot from the 
floor, pushing the right hand farther and far- 
ther forward, and bending the body forward 
until you have perfectly balanced it, bringing 
the right arm and left foot in line. Then re- 
verse, using the left hand and right foot as 
above, at the same time breathing in, restrain- 
ing, and breathing out properly. 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 121 

NOON BkEATHS 

Cane Drill. — Take usual position, except 
put thumbs down at waist line, forefingers 
down toward hips, palms backward. Inhale, 
thinking of Will, and while restraining rise on 
balls of feet and down live times before exhal- 
ing, then change thought and- exhale.. 

Cone Breath. — Same as above, except in-, 
stead of rising on balls of feet, stand firmly 
and while restraining breath bend the body 
from waist line first to the right, then forward, 
then to the left, then backward, five times 
before exhaling. 

Purification Breath. — For purifying the 
thoughts. Cross the hands on the chest, 
right hand over the left, thumbs meeting on 
the collar bone. Inhale, and while inhaling 
and restraining repeat mentally: '"0, breathe 
on me. Inspiring Spirit Breath : give to my 
soul revivifying power: quicken this fading 
form that droops and dies, and lift my soul up 
to its heavenly rest. " Exhale, drawing hands 
down, separating them over the abdomen like 
the figure eight, carrying them down as 
though brushing away impurities. 
16 



122 THh. LIVING FIRE 



EVENING BREATHS 



Concentration Breath. — Before com- 
mencing this breath, affirm : "I am master of 
my being and I will not give up its su- 
premacy." 

Sit down facing the East in a straight 
backed chair, feet firmly on the floor, hands 
over the knees and back erect, not touching 
the chair. Fix your eyes on some light object, 
then inhaie through the nose with the mouth 
closed until the abdomen is well extended, 
hold the breath twice as long as it took to in- 
hale, then exhale slowly and evenly. To make 
the method plainer, inhale while you count 
eight, hold breath while you count sixteen, 
then exhale while you count eight. While in- 
haling always hold the thought that you are 
breathing in life, health, success and knowl- 
edge, that you are becoming atone with the 
Divine, and while exhaling hold the thought 
that you are breathing out disease, inharmony 
and failure. Repeat this breathing for about 
ten minutes, then cross your right hand over 
the left on the abdomen, close the eyes, drop 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 123 

the head, and sit motionless. Banish every 
thought from the mind and sit in this way as 
long as possible, but not less than twenty 
minutes. If you feel sleepy, stop at once. 
Practice this exercise at the same time every 
day. Another good time to practice this exer- 
cise is in the forenoon between ten and eleven 
o'clock. 

Ketiring Breath. — This is to be taken 
the last thing before retiring at night. It is 
based on the principle that the earth is mov- 
ing about on its axis so rapidly that it creates 
a magnetic atmosphere. It is a cobweb, the 
terrestrial magnetism of the earth. Being on 
the outside of the earth we are caught in the 
whirl and wrapped in the cobweb. We want 
to get rid of it before we sleep. We also come 
in contact with people all day whose atmos- 
phere we are apt to take on if we are negative. 
We want to get rid of all this at night. We 
take on the magnetism of everyone and every- 
thing with which we come in contact during 
the day, even from a letter. The motion of 
the earth is always toward the right and to 
unwind the cobweb we must move in the op- 



124 THE LIVING FIRE 

posite direction. After we are free from it we 
can then draw the Spiritual'atmosphere from 
the universe. After taking this breath, lie 
down and do not speak another word before 
going to sleep. 

Stand facing the north ; throw off magnetism 
from the shoulder, vigorously with both 
hands at each point of the compass, turning 
to the left, until you have turned completely 
around three and one-half times, leaving off 
at the South. 

Stand on the balls of your feet, heels touch- 
ing, hands in front of you, open with palms 
down, until five breaths have been taken in the 
usual manner (that i*, by inhaling, restrain- 
ing, and exhaling); close hands, turn to the 
right, back facing the North again, raise the 
arms over the head, palms upward, cup shape, 
and repeat: 

"Oh, Thou most merciful and ever blessed 
Providence, in whom I live, and move, and 
have my being, grant that at this time all holy 
and healing influences may descend, upon and 
abide with me forevermore. " 

Beginning at the North throw over your- 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 125 

self a magnetic current from above, from each 
point of the compass, turning to the right 
say :"Thou All-Life God;"second time around, 
say: 'Oh, Thou, the Love Supreme;" third 
time around at the North, say: "Illuminate 
me with Thy Wisdom;" at the East, "Vivify 
me with Thy Life;" at the South, "Purify me 
with Thy Love;" at the West, "And grant 
that in all I think and say" (at the North) 
"and do "(at the east) "I may more and more 
resemble Thee, the Divine." Stop at the 
South. 

Before going to sleep hold in your mind the 
following beautiful Egyptian prayer : 

"O Fatherhood, O Motherhood, thou blessed 
Two in One, absorb me in the quenchless 
glory of Thine Immortality, and let me ever- 
more abide in Thee, and find my Soul's com- 
pleteness, Amen!" 

OTHER EXERCISES 

Rest Breath. — Lie on your back, flat on 
the floor, swing the right arm high above the 
head, palm facing upward, fingers separated, 
arm, hand, and fingers tense and rigid. Keep 



126 THE LIVING PIKE 

this position two or three minutes, then relax 
the arm and let it drop to the floor quickly. 
Repeat three times, same with the left and 
then both arms together, every time drawing 
in the breath and keeping the mind steady on 
a thought or principle. If you are very tired 
after being up all night do the same with the 
feet. This exercise is to be taken whenever 
required. 

Forest or Mercury Breath.— To be 
taken in the open air at any time. Stand with 
the hands at the side, step off with the right 
foot, raise the right hand high over the head, 
balancing on the ball of the right foot and toe 
of the left, in the attitude of the Winged Mer- 
cury, breathing in when raising the hand; 
restrain, then drop the hand to the side while 
exhaling; then raise hand and inhale again, 
restrain, then drop hand and exhale. Repeat 
twice. Repeat same with left hand and foot 
twice. 

Windmill Breath. — Can be taken any 
time through the day. Stand in same posi- 
tion as described above, with palms out. 
Raise the right arm windmill or circular fash- 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 127 

ion, keeping palm out until high above the 
head, inhaling breath and gradually raising 
to toes. Hold breath, then gradually let arm 
and foot down while exhaling. Keep logos or 
thought steady in mind as in all breaths. Re- 
peat with left arm and so alternating two or 
three times. 

Walking Breath. — In walking stand with 
heels together, draw in a deep abdominal 
breath, start with right foot and take seven 
steps, breathing in and out with each step. 
At the seventh step stand still and hold breath 
while you count twelve; then go on, beginning 
with the left foot, and so on indefinitely, al- 
ways, in all breaths, holding to the thought of 
Will. 

Memory Breath. — Lie flat on back on the 
floor, hold arms up over head, making hands 
cup shape, with fingers tense and separated, 
and try to feel the Astral Fluid flowing down 
the fingers, thinking of nothing else. Keep 
this position as long as you comfortably can 
then let arms drop to side. While going 
through with this, breathe in,, restrain, and 
breathe out, as in all other exercises. This 



128 THE LIVING PIKE 

will help to strengthen your memory and help 
you to recall anything you have forgotten. 

BREATH lO CURE NERVOUS PROSTRATION 

Stand level on the feet, taking a deep full 
inspiration, fuller and fuller, all the time mov- 
ing the arms up and down, from the side to 
right angles with the body. Continue the mo- 
tion as long as you can hold the breath, then 
exhale. 

The foregoing exercises are important and 
should be x^racticed thoroughly. They are 
an excellent training for both body and mind, 
as they strengthen the body and develop the 
Will. No training is complete that does not 
develop every part of the human being. The 
body is the temple of the living god and must 
be brought into harmony. 

In training the Will you must practice hold- 
ing thoughts. The breathing exercises then 
have a three-fold object, viz: the strengthen- 
ing of the body, developing the Astral and 
training the Will. 

DUALITY OP MIND 

As we find duality existing throughout all 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 129 

nature so we find the Ego manifesting through 
two centers, called the active and the passive 
mind. 

The brain is the seat of the active mind, and 
the Solar Plexus, a nerve center situated back 
of and under the stomach, is the seat of the 
passive mind. These two minds are also 
called the positive and negative, the objective 
and the subjective, and the conscious and sub- 
conscious minds. 

The action of the objective mind is in the ob- 
jective world, the realm of sense. It obtains 
all knowledge through the five physical senses, 
but can be taught to receive impressions 
through the sixth and seventh senses of intui- 
tion and inspiration. It is called the con- 
scious mind because through it we become 
conscious of our individuality. It is the indi- 
vidual mind while the sub-conscious is, or 
connects directly with, the universal mind. 
The sub-conscious mind receives knowledge 
from the universal mind and the conscious 
mind makes it our own and utilizes it. 

The subconscious mind controls the action 
of the involuntary organs of the body, and all 
17 



130 THE LIVING F1KE 

involuntary movements, while the conscious 
mind controls the voluntary acts. The sub- 
conscious mind is the seat of intuition; the 
conscious mind the seat of reason, but the 
intuitions of the subconscious must be regis- 
tered in the conscious before we can recognize 
or make use of them. 

The subjective mind is always ready to act 
upon any suggestion given to it by the objec- 
tive mind and for this reason a sudden shock 
will sometimes cause death. One can heal 
himself of disease by making auto or self-sug- 
gestions to the passive mind. A suggestion 
repeated often and with sufficient force will 
produce an effect. The active mind should 
always control the subjective mind and does 
in a well balanced person. 

It is this tendency of the subjective mind 
to respond to suggestion that causes us to 
form habits. Habit is said to be "second na- 
ture, "and this is very nearly true because the 
subjective mind will continue doing the same 
thing forever unless stopped by an action of 
the Will. Stop and think how easy it is to 
fall into a habit. Perform an act once or twice 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 131 

and the habit is already formed, and the lon- 
ger it continues the more fixed it becomes. 
So we should be very careful to form good 
habits instead of bad ones. We can educate 
this passive mind in the right direction and 
make it a wonderful power, for you can cause 
it to do anything you will it to do, but many 
persons have a weak Will and are governed 
almost entirely by the subjective mind which 
is the seat of the emotions. Such persons are 
what we call emotional because they act upon 
every impulse conveyed to the passive mind 
without being governed by the reasoning fac- 
ulty of the Will. Such persons are always 
easily influenced by outside suggestions be- 
cause they seldom stop to question the truth 
or falsity of the suggestion but act upon it at 
once. 

The subjective mind is the creator. It is 
through the action of this mind that the eth- 
eric current evolves life from the germ and 
causes the growth and development of the hu- 
man being. 

The Solar Plexus has been styled the "ab 
dominal brain" and is the sun of the body. 



132 THE LIVING FIRE 

As the sun of the solar system gives life and 
light to the Universe, so the Solar Plexus, or 
inner sun, gives life to every part of the body. 
It is a weakness of this organ that causes fear, 
worry, premonition of evil, lack of confidence, 
etc. The following breathing .exercise will be 
found excellent for strengthening the Solar 
Plexus and, therefore, giving more power and 
strength to both body and mind. It is called 
the 

SOLAR PLEXUS METHOD. 

Fill the lungs to their fullest capacity with 
the chest expanded, then contract the chest 
and force the air down into the abdomen, then 
contract or draw in the abdomen and force the 
air back into the lungs again. Alternate in 
this manner several times before exhaling the 
air. This exercise may be practiced several 
times a day and especially when you are about 
to give way to excitement, anger or any other 
emotion. By the practice of this exercise 
and training the Will you will soon be able to 
control yourself under all circumstances. 

TRAINING THE WILL 

Magnetism, the living fire of the body, and 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 1.33 

the Astral Fluid, the lire of the Universe, is 
the instrument by which all phenomena is 
produced, but Will is the power of Deity be- 
hind the flame that uses and directs it. 

In a treatise on Magic I find it written: 

""Will is the purpose of the Eternal One, 
outwrought in existence, and its operations in 
the outgrowth of more fully perfected mind 
ages, will elevate mankind to the functions of 
Deity by its triumphs." 

"The power of faith is the power of Will, 
the essence of Soul, and Soul's action in pro- 
ducing forms and emulating the creative func- 
tions of the Divine Will." 

"Every Mystic, Sage, Magician and Psy- 
chologist, every student, ancient or modern, 
ranges the power of the Human Will in the 
category of all Supreme Intelligence, and at- 
tributes to its exercises the highest achieve- 
ments of the true Magician." 

"It is the Alpha and Omega of this mortal 
life, as the Divine Will is the Alpha and Omega 
of Being. It is the royal power by which mat- 
ter bends before Spirit as the leaf bends and 
sways in the rushing storm. " Another writer 
says: 



134 THE LIVING FIRE 

"A life ungoverned by a developed Will 
may be like the meteor, brilliant and interest- 
ing for a time, but, like the meteor, its course 
will be erratic, and its usual tendency down- 
ward ; while the well-governed life is kept in 
its orbit among the grand spaces, along a 
purposeful, upward way. Man's Will is his 
individualized God-power, and when conjoined 
to the great ocean of force and intelligence in 
which he, consciously or unconsciously, has 
his being, his word becomes God's word, his 
concentrated and projected thought the very 
power of God in operation." 

The true value of Will power, or Thought- 
force is little recognized in this day and age 
of the world. This power exists in embryo 
in every human being and each individual may 
develop it to such an extent that comparatively 
few things will be impossible for his accom- 
plishment. 

The purpose of initiation or training in oc- 
cultism, is to place the operations of the body 
under the control of the Will: In freeing the 
Ego from the dominion of the appetites, pas- 
sions and whole lower nature. 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 135 

The first step to be taken then in the devel- 
opment of soul power is the training of the 
Will. Rites and ceremonies can only help to 
accomplish this. There is no magic word by 
which all things can be accomplished and it is 
only by long training and practice and pains- 
taking effort that the goal can be reached. 

Every effort of the Will towards purification 
and unity with the Higher Self breaks one of 
the lower rays that would draw the Soul down 
into darkness. 

To attain success it is necessary to attain 
independence of all those forces which by 
their fatal and inevitable movement produce 
failure. You must either command or obey. 
The Will, when properly cultivated, acts with- 
out fear and without desire, .self-possessed and 
determined. To do this it must be free; it 
must be omnipotent and omniscient. 

To train the Will two things are necessary 
to be done: 1st. To free the Will from servi- 
tude; 2nd. After it is made free to exercise 
it in control. It must first be freed from the 
desires, appetites and passions of the lower 
nature and made to control them. When the 



136 THE LIVING FIRE 

Will has gained control of all the forces of the 
body it can then control outside forces. 

The Will is developed and strengthened by 
concentration, the Soul by meditation. 

Concentration is the drawing in of the rays 
of the mind from the exterior to the interior, 
and holding it there. It is becoming self -cen- 
tered, self-poised. When one can do this he 
can do anything in the world. It is the secret 
of power. It is the first thing to be learned in 
occult training. 

After you have learned to concentrate or 
gather in all the forces of nature and hold 
them, you will then be able to send them out 
again by force of your Will. The difference 
between sending out a thought from a trained 
Will and sending out one from an untrained 
Will may be illustrated by the blacksmith and 
his hammer. If he should let the hammer 
fall merely by its own weight he would accom- 
plish nothing. But when he uses all the force 
at his command he is able to strike a strong 
blow, and the more the muscles of his arms 
become developed the more his power in 
creases. It is just the same in the develop- 
ment of the Will. 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 137 

The mind is of no use until it can be held to 
a point. When one can do that the Soul is 
Master and then it begins to find its way in- 
to the Self. 

Meditation will purify the mind, cleansing 
it of all impurities; it will strengthen and re- 
new the memory; it brings the Soul into a 
higher state of vibration where it can com- 
municate with the Self. Every soul must 
sometime attain its Divine end. 

When you begin to meditate and force your 
mind to work, your first inclination will be to 
go to sleep. Therefore practice concentration 
in the morning and in the evening after you 
have rested and been refreshed. All your pro- 
gress, and all the result you will gain from 
your study, will be limited by your power of 
concentration. 

One of the most important phases of Concen- 
tration, and one that must not be neglected, is 
the practice of devoting a certain time each 
day to a given exercise. The central idea is 
that circumstances must be made to yield to 
us, so we may conquer our environment in- 
stead of being controlled by it. It is an easy 
18 



138 THE LIVING PIKE 

matter to control and open a way in your en- 
vironments if you so will it. 

Prepare a place in your own room, free 
from all other personal influences; a whole 
room, if possible; if not possible, partition off 
a corner by hanging a curtain or arranging a 
screen to form a small inclosure. Keep this 
inclosure sacred to yourself. Spend one hour 
each day if possible in this chamber to read, 
study and concentrate. If you cannot spare 
an hour, take fifteen minutes or thirty min- 
utes at the same hour each day. 

In concentration there are two enemies to 
be overcome. These are thought and sleep. 
You must gain control of your thoughts and 
be able to center them on one thing, and you 
must be able to concentrate thought without 
going to sleep. 

Holding the mind to a point is concentration. 
You will have to fight the battle over and over 
again. Never be discouraged but determine 
that you will succeed. 

Pew persons recognize the great waste of 
mental power going on within them. In the 
brain are many parts, each being a centre for 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 139 

a certain operation of the mind, and each part 
performing its own special function, an^l un- 
less they are all made to act in unison by a 
well- trained Will, they are like an army with- 
out a leader, each man acting independently 
of all the others, thereby causing confusion. 
So when our thoughts are not in unison our 
forces are scattered and we are unable to get 
the desired results. In order to obtain power 
each part of the brain must be brought into 
line and compelled to act in unison with every 
other part so that all may work together in 
harmony and with a single purpose in view. 
The thoughts must be concentrated or centered on 
one thing. The mind must be trained so as to 
center it on a single thought and hold it there 
as long as desired. 

The first efforts to center the mind on one 
thing to the exclusion of all others will prob- 
ably result in failure. It is necessary to do 
this howe\er, and not only for five minutes 
but for an hour if necessary until you become 
so engrossed in thought as to be unconscious 
of your surroundings. But still this is not 
sufficient for you must go still further and be 



140 THE LIVING FIRE 

able to stop thinking when you wish. When 
you can do this, and you can do it, the rest 
will become easy. You will then be able to 
direct the life currents and control the living 
\flre. You can become popular; you can win 
the love of others ; you can obtain happiness 
and riches; you can build you a new body and 
obtain that great blessing — health; you can 
then "mount the steep heights of Achieve- 
ment — the whole end of man's being." 

The development of Will-power begins with 
the simplest control of the muscular move- 
ments of the body and develops into the con- 
scious control of sensation, and conscious pro- 
jection of Thought and Energy. 

Concentration is the art of controlling both 
the Mind and the Body by the will, and can be 
attained only by a series of exercises which 
develp the Will and schools the body to obey. 
After gaining control of the body the Will can 
then begin to discipline the mind, so that ap- 
petite, desire, inattention, dissatisfaction, etc. 
are brought into line and subjected to the con- 
trol of the Will. When this has been accom- 
plished, the Will can, with the assistance of 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 141 

its allies, the mental forces, which had previ- 
ously been unruly subjects, exercise its pow- 
ers independently in many ways, such as in- 
fluencing others, etc. But before the Will 
can exercise its force upon another it must 
dominate and control all the forces of its own 
mind and body and it is only by a combination 
of the forces of body and mind that the Will 
can become independent and exercise the 
functions that belong to it. 

The only way to develop Will-power is to act, 
and each act creates a new impulse, or more 
Will-power. The Will that rules must be 
drilled and trained and held to its object. The 
law of use is the highest law of attainment. 
The Will must be strengthened by use. 

METHOD OF DEVELOPING WILL-POWER 

The first form of exercise is to practice the 
art of sitting still for at least tire minutes at a ti)ne. 
This must be mastered alone, and when once 
thoroughly attained, the practice may be com- 
bined with the further exercises in concen- 
tration. This is the^basic principle of all exer- 
cises; that the body shall be brought under 



142 THE LIVING FIRE 

the control and observation of the Will, so that 
all involuntary movements may be checked. 
You will be surprised to note how many in- 
voluntary movements you naturally perform 
in five minutes. This exercise is for the pur- 
pose of checking all movements not directed 
by the Will. 

The second form of exercise is to bring the 
muscular movements of the body under the control 
of the Will. Practice bringing the Will into 
operation by performing exercises under its 
direction. This is to bring the attention un- 
der the control of the Will. Sit in a chair with 
the hands lying palms upward, in the lap. 
Bend each finger and thumb slowly one by 
one of each hand until the hand is closed; then 
open each one separately until each hand lies 
open upon the lap. Continue this exercise 
for five minutes and notice how much it will 
tire you to keep your attention wholly fixed 
upon the action. 

Next sit in a chair and raise the left arm 
slowly in a curve and let it rest lightly against 
the back of the neck. Watch for trembling 
of the nerves while you slowly perform this 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 143 

exercise. Count five then slowly bring each 
arm back to its previous position with the 
hand resting upon your lap. Practice for five 
minutes. 

Now stand upon your feet with your right 
arm extended on a level with your shoulder, 
walk across the floor and touch a mark upon 
the wall opposite you. Turn around and use 
the left arm in same manner and touch a mark 
on the opposite wall. Walk straight and touvh 
the mark. Practice until perfect. 

Now walk on tiptoe, the balls of the feet 
touching the floor, and practice the last exer- 
cise. Walk straight and touch the mark. 
Practice until perfect. You can introduce as 
many exercises as you desire bearing upon 
the control of the muscular action by the Will, 
but the above will give yon the needed train- 
ing. 

The third form of exercise is the control of the 
breathing, or breathing under the direction of 
the Will, which can be mastered by practicing 
the breathing exescises already given. 

In nothing more than in the act of breath- 
ing is the involuntary action shown forth. 



144 THE LIVING FIRE 

Until this training is mastered you do not 
breathe as you will to breathe but as you think 
you are compelled to breathe. You breathe 
spasmodically asd especially you exhale with 
a rush. Practice control of the breathing up- 
on all occasions and all your life. The breath- 
ing exercises are not for a week or a month 
or a year, then to be laid aside. It is for your 
whole life, extending the number of seconds 
in inhaling, holding, and exhaling the breath 
according to your development of lung capac- 
ity. The lungs are the gateway of life. 

In the fourth form of exercise we advance 
from the control of the physical to a control of the 
mental functions. 

Sit in a chair with your hands resting on 
your lap. Practice looking at an object stead- 
ily for one minute without winking, putting 
your whole attention upon it and thinking of 
nothing else. When the minute is up take 
another object and do the same thing, all the 
time keeping your attention firmly fixed upon 
it. Practice until perfect. 

Next sit in a chair with your muscles re- 
laxed, hold some small object in your hand 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 145 

and center your attention upon it. Keep your 
thoughts upon it and do not let them wander. 
Make yourself become unconscious of all else 
except the object in your hand. When you 
can do this you are controlling the wandering 
thoughts of your intellect, and making the at- 
tention the servant of the Will. Do not allow 
yourself to become drowsy. You must re- 
main awake. Choose simple objects and prac- 
tice five minutes at a time. Gradually increase 
the time until you are able to fix your atten- 
tion upon one object for ten or fifteen minutes 
at a time. 

The next exercise is more difficult but more 
interesting. Seat yourself in a chair and re- 
lax your muscles. Call up in your memory 
the face of someone you know. Close your 
eyes and proceed to reconstruct the face of 
your friend. Put in every f eatn re separately ; 
eyes, nose, mouth, forehead, cheek, chin, hair 
and shape of face. Don't hurry. At first 
each feature as soon as you have recalled it 
will slip back into obscurity; your work is to 
make this face grow feature by feature until 
you have it perfectly pictured on your mind's 
19 



146 THE LIVING PIKE 

canvas. Practice until perfect. Practice 
with a different person for a model every day. 
When you become perfect, the face will appear 
and disappear at your pleasure or command. 
YOutjan vary this exercise by painting a land- 
scape instead of a face in your mind, or you 
can cause a flower to grow. Choose only 
scenes which have once made a deep impres- 
sion upon your memory. 

Now while seated in your chair with mus- 
cles relaxed, take in your hand a picture of a 
landscape or a portrait wh'kSh you have not 
seen before. Look at it intently for a moment, 
then close your eyes and 'reconstruct the pic- 
ture in your mind. Practice this until perfect. 
It is for the purpose of developing retentive- 
ness. 

The next exercise is an important one and 
when you can succeed in it you have made a 
great stride toward the goal. Be seated in a 
chair with muscles relaxed, fix your attention 
upon one hand, and hold in your mind the sen- 
sation of heat. Concentrate the feeling of 
heat upon the hand by a strong and steady 
effort of Will. In a little while it will begin to 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 147 

feel warm, will look heated and the veins will 
become distended. You have performed a 
seeming miracle. By your concentrated Will 
you have directed the blood to your hand. It 
is your first successful feat in influencing the 
matter of your body by your Will. 

Now you must reverse the experiment 
which will be still more difficult, as it will be 
the tendency of the mind to repeat its triumph 
and send the blood to the hand, but this you 
must not allow. You must make the hand 
cold and numb. U'nder the direction of your 
Will the blood will recede from the extremi- 
ties, leaving them cold and bloodless. 

Now while seated in a chair with the mus- 
cles relaxed create the sensation of pain in your 
temples. Concentrate upon this until the 
temples throb and ache in response to the 
pressure of blood upon the nerves. Practice 
this at every sitting until you succeed. 

Now reverse the experiment, directing the 
blood away from the extremities. The fore- 
head will become cool and the throbbing cease. 

When you have perfected the foregoing con- 
centrate your attention upon sleep. Seat 



148 THE LIVING FIRE 

yourself in a chair with your muscles relaxed. 
Direct the blood to leave the head; direct the 
breathing to become easy and without effort; 
direct yourself to become drowsy and the eye- 
lids heavy; direct the thoughts to be of ease, 
weariness and forgetl'ulness. • Direct yourself 
to sleep. This sleep induced by your Will is 
the true sleep and, when once mastered, will 
be an invaluable ally. If you have carefully 
and persistently followed the training it will 
not be difficult to attain. 

When you have mastered the act of sleeping 
at will, direct how long you shall sleep, 
whether five minutes or five hours. When 
the Will thus impresses a command upon the 
subconscious mind, the latter must obey. 
Direct that you shall sleep for five minutes, 
then awaken. Then direct that you shall sleep 
ten minutes then awaken. You can make 
good use of this exercise by directing with a 
.strong determined Will before going to sleep 
at night that you shall awaken at a certain 
time in the morning. If you do this a few 
times you will soon need no alarm clock to 
awaken you in the morning. 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 149 

You have now become able to govern the 
functions of both mind and body in some of 
their manifestations but you must go still fur- 
ther and learn to govern them in all. 

Now while seated in a chair recall to your 
mind some distressing circumstance that has 
troubled you a great deal. Go over its details 
in your mind, then by a powerful effort of 
Will dismiss it from your mind entirely. Com- 
mand pleasant thoughts to appear in place of 
the unpleasant ones, and direct your mind to 
become tranquil. If you have persevered in 
your training you can do it. Your training 1 
has made it possible. You can shut out disa- 
agreeable things at will. It is not that you 
feel less but your Will has become Master. 
When you can do this with recollections you 
can do it with actual occurrences and be al- 
ways able to master yourself under the most 
distressing circumstances. 

Now rid yourself of all undesirable habits. 
During the day while at work think of them 
one by one and put the ban of your Will upon 
them. The depraved appetite is a creature of 
the mind and is always Under the control of 



150 THL LIVING FIRE 

the Will if you have trained the Will to assert 
itself. Away with then all. Do not seek Pity, 
Sympathy, Forgiveness or Excuse for your 
indulgence. These are not for you as Master 
of your Sensations, Appetites and Passions. 
You are Master of your own Eate. Let noth- 
ing" stand between you and the exercise of 
your authority. Break all these habits. You 
can do it. You must do it before you can exer- 
cise the independent functions of the Will. 

When you have reached this stage of devel- 
opment you can relieve any pain in yourself, 
no matter where it may appear. Then, by 
your concentrated effort, repair the disorder 
in the system and restore harmony to the 
nerves. All functional derangements are 
amenable to the control of the Will. Thus the 
Will governs the Mind, and the Mind governs 
the Body. 

When you have perfected this dominion of 
Will in yourself and for your own use, you 
will then be able to use it upon others. But 
do not expect to be able to direct it outside of 
yourself until you have tirst established its 
supremacy within. 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 151 

The Will has grown strong and powerful by 
exercise and now you must conserve and pre- 
serve that power. You must do this by being 
temperate in all things. Curb your wander- 
ing desires and bring them under the control 
of the Will and keep them there. 

PERSONAL MAGNETISM 

Personal Magnetism is that quality in a per- 
son which consciously or unconsciously influ- 
ences others. It is the power by which one 
person may enforce his opinions or ideas upon 
another so that they are accepted. It is that 
quality of attractiveness which radiates out- 
ward from the individual, and has the effect of 
a magnetic or drawing power. It is two fold 
in its nature, having both the electric or posi- 
tive quality, which impels and repels, and the 
magnetic or negative quality which attracts. 
It is capable of being directed by the Will, or 
it may be projected unconsciously through 
the subconscious mind. When the aim of the 
individual is high and spiritual this force 
unites with the Divine Spirit and becomes 
Spiritual Magnetism and is a very desirable 



152 THE LIVING FIRE 

quality; when its aim is material and evil it 
works independently and of itself. 

Spiritual Personal Magnetism is a very de- 
sirable quality and may be acquired by all 
who really desire it. It is neither more nor 
less than a pleasing individuality. Any per- 
son who possesses the charm of pleasing, who 
has the happy faculty of attracting and hold- 
ing others, are what we call magnetic. The 
orator who holds his audience spell-bound does 
so through his Personal Magnetism. 

Personal magnetism consists of those quali- 
ties which we admire and which make the 
possesser very attractive. It is really a let- 
ting of the soul shine through and the secret 
is love. 

Persons may attract us on account of beauty 
appealing to our sense of the beautiful; they 
may be highly educated and dazzle us with 
their intellectual powers, they may be good 
listeners as well as good talkers, or they may 
sympathize with us and find a place in our 
hearts. 

In order to become magnetic one must 
either be good or appear to be so. He must 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 153 

take an interest in those about him, must 
study character and human nature, and strive 
to please, but without losing any of his own 
individuality in any way. He must be self- 
poised. 

Study the characteristics of the people 
whom you meet, study their likes and dislikes, 
and converse on topics that will interest them. 
Learn to be a good listener which is as great 
an art as to be a good talker and one to which 
comparatively few people attain. 

Never argue with a person whom you wish 
to influence in your favor, for argument will 
immediately put them on the defensive and 
render them positive and an antipathy, how- 
ever slight, is created. They must be in a 
negative or receptive condition to be influ- 
enced. Use what is commonly called " tact. " 
Have an object in view and continually keep 
that object in mind. Center your full thought 
upon it. Always be self-possessed, and study 
grace in your manner and dress. All these 
points are acted suggestions. 

A very important requisite for the acquire- 
ment of Personal Magnetism is good health. 
20 



154 THE LIVING FIRE 

A body drained of nervous energy is a body 
without Magnetism. Magnetism is generated 
in the body and directed by the Will and thus 
Personal Magnetism ' . attribute both of 
body and mind, and is stored up as a force in 
the nervous system. A person in ill health 
keeps the supply constantly used up and con- 
sequently cannot be very magnetic. But 
with a well-balanced physical constitution, a 
positive, energetic nature, a thoroughly 
trained Will, the development o. .e eyes and 
voice and the confidence in your ability ac- 
quired by experience and practice you are 
equipped to undertake almost any task with 
every assurance of success. 

TRAINING THE EYES 

The two great factors in the cultivation of 
Personal Magnetism are the training of the 
eyes and the voice. 

In order to develop the fascinating, or stead- 
fast gaze, you must look straight into the eyes 
of the one you want to influence, and direct 
the gaze of each of your eyes into the eye 
directly opposite, that is, your right eye 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 155 

should look straight into his left, and your 
left into his right. 

To do this you must apparently look through 
the eyes as if look:~^ at; .something far beyond, 
or as if the other person's eyes were a pair of 
opera glasses and you were looking through 
them and not at them. Do not look with a va- 
cant stare, but intently and with your mind 
cencentratedupon the suggestion you are giv- 
ing. You can practice by taking a photograph 
and gazing ' jit steadily, eye looking into eye, 
for a minute at a time without winking but not 
long enough to strain the eyes. It will require 
considerable practice before you are able to 
accomplish this, as it is the tendency of the 
eyes to both look at the same object, and the 
attempt to see clearly, involuntarily turns 
both eyes to the same point and you lose the 
direct gaze. When you have acquired the di- 
rect gaze, the muscles of the eyeballs are at 
rest, the eyes are looking straight forward, 
and relaxed, there is no strain upon the eyes 
anc 1 they can be held in this position a long 
time without winking. With this fascinating 
or fixed gaze, the whole expression of the eyes 



156 THE LIVING FIRE 

is different, and take on a stern impressive 
appearance without looking fierce or cross. 
It is this steady piercing gaze that fascinates 
or overcomes, in the same manner that cer- 
tain animals fascinate people or other animals, 
and a serpent charms a bird. This acquire- 
ment is of great value and warrants persist- 
ent effort and repeated trials until you are 
able to gain this control of your eyes. Re- 
member that when your eyes are set in this 
manner, they are relaxed, the pupils are di- 
lated, and you cannot see distinctly the eyes 
of your subject, because your eyes are focused 
way beyond, but to the one you are looking 
at they have a very powerful expression. 

The direct gaze has a two-fold value: the 
power to influence others, and the power to 
prevent being influenced by them, the latter* 
for the reason that you are not really looking 
into their eyes, but through them, and cannot 
see them distinctly and therefore cannot be 
influenced by their expression. 

HARMONIZING THE VOICE 

The tones of the voice must be harmonized 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 157 

so they may be neither shrill, coarse nor harsh, 
but sweetly musical. Not only this but to in- 
fluence others you must understand your voice 
and know how to use it. Many people are able 
to influence those with whom they come in 
contact to a wonderful degree simply by their 
voice. In giving oral suggestions there is no 
greater or more influential agent than the in- 
flection of the human voice. Cultivate a me- 
lodius, rich, and above all, a harmonious voice, 
and then learn to give it the proper inflection 
and emphasis and you will find it a wonderful 
aid in securing to you the affection and good- 
will of others and its cultivation adds greatly 
to your Personal Magnetism. 

The human voice is the expression of a musi- 
cal instrument more wonderful than any ever 
yet invented, and in its tones lurk the harmon- 
ies which will lead men's souls to the heights 
of heaven, or lure them on to the depths of 
hell. 

TO PROJECT PERSONAL MAGNETISM 

In Personal Magnetism we again observe 
the dual forces, namely, the positive, or con- 



158 THE LIVING FIRE 

trolling force, the negative or attracting force, 
and the union of both which is equilibrium, 
thus forming the trinity. 

By the exercise of the positive force you 
project your magnetism upon others by the 
power of your Will and thus cause them to do 
your bidding, just as in your battle with the 
faculties of your mind and the organs of your 
body, you bring them all under the control of 
your Will. 

By the exercise of the negative, or attract- 
ing quality, you draw to yourself, the esteem, 
respect and love of your associates. 

The positive is valuable in controlling; the 
negative is valuable in attracting, and, by unit- 
ing the two forces you can both attract and 
control. 

A good experiment to test your power on 
another is to fasten your attention upon some- 
one walking in front of you on the street, or 
sitting in front of you upon a car. While gaz- 
ing fixedly at the person, concentrate the 
whole force of your Will upon him, holding in 
your mind the thought: "I will you to turn 
around and look at me." If you do not sue- 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 159 

ceed at the first trial, keep trying until you 
do succeed. Practice is necessary to make 
your work effective and if you have developed 
your will-power sufficiently you will succeed. 

For a second experiment, take someone who 
has shown a dislike to you. In this experi- 
ment you must exercise both positive and neg- 
ative qualities of your Magnetism. Meet the 
person face to face, if possible, and speak 
pleasantly to him for a few moments, then 
concentrate forcibly upon this thought: "I 
will you to feel my influence, I will you to be 
attracted to me, and that you will feel my in- 
fluence continually, you will think of me, and 
you cannot resist being drawn to me." Your 
thought will be impressed upon the other per- 
son's subconscious mind and he will act upon 
it unconsciously to himself. 

As a test of your power to influence others 
at a distance by an effort of your Will try the 
following : 

Select any person you may choose and say 
to yourself: "I will that this person, calling 
him by name, to feel my influence, I will him 
to sit down and write to me." If the person 



160 THE LIVING FIRE 

is receptive he will receive the thought and 
often act upon it. 

All the powers of man are developed and 
mature slowly by use. They do not come to 
us full-grown. The same law of development 
must be followed in the mental as in the physi- 
cal sphere. As the muscles developed by 
exercise have strength to endure fatigue so 
the mental faculties and nerve force developed 
by use has strength to endure and it accumu- 
lates with use. 

A FEW RULES TO BE OBSERVED 

1. Do not hurry through the experiments. 
Haste delays development. Above all things 
you must be patient. "Patience is the highest 
Nirvana," says the Hindu. In the slow, calm, 
deliberate and determined mastery of every 
step lies the secret of success. 

2. Always appear calm and self-possessed. 
In performing any act always do so with the 
consciousness that you are using only a part 
of your magnetic force — that you have a tre- 
mendous force in reserve. 

3. Avoid making nervous or jerky move- 



TRAINING IN OCCULTISM 161 

merits. Quick jerky movements cause you to 
lose magnetism. A quick jerk of the hand 
throws off magnetism as it does water when 
the hand is wet. Those persons who move in 
easy sweeping curves are generally well- 
rounded out in their physical make-up, while 
those who make quick jerky movements are 
lean and scrawny in consequence because so 
much of their magnetism is thrown off. 

4. Do not be conceited or vain. Value 
yourself for just what you are worth, no 
more, no less, but believe in yourself thor- 
oughly. Follow your experiments persist- 
ently and know that you have in yourself all the 
power you need to develop. All power is 
within. 

5. Observe the manners of refined society. 
Never speak of yourself or your powers unless 
forced to do so. Do not seek the approbation 
of others as that is weakness. As soon as 
you learn to take it at its true worth it will be 
lavished upon you. Your consciousness of 
power is all the approbation you need. 

6. Above all, be silent, Do not tell your 
secrets to others. Do not boast of your knowl- 

21 



162 THE LIVING FIRE 

edge. Great men are always reserved and 
self-reliant. "Still waters run deepest." 
The shallow brook rolls noisily along, but the 
deep river is silent in its flow. By reserving 
your knowledge you increase your capacity 
to receive more and to reserve what you have. 
When you have once told your secret it is 
yours no longer. To babble of what you 
know is a sign of weakness. The gaeatest 
forces of nature are silent forces. Be ye like 
them. Learn to Know, Will, Dare and be 
Silent. 



The Latent Powers 

1 JERETOFORE we have given our attention 
* * to the development of the Will, or Soul 
Power, which is one of the chief aims of na- 
ture. Therein lies the great secrets of the 
teachings of Magic. When the Will is prop- 
erly developed one can, at pleasure, raise him- 
self above the ordinary conditions of life. He 
can leave the scene of grief and misery and 
ascend into the pure soul sphere, and upon 
entering this sphere his whole being will thrill 
with an indescribable happiness. 

After the student has developed his will ac- 
cording to the instructions given in the last 
chapter he is in a position to direct it to pro- 
duce various phases of phenomena and use it 
in his daily life with great benefit to himself 
and others. One of the most useful phases of 
soul power is 

TELEPATHY OR; THOUGHT TRANSFERANCE 

To be able to project the thought out into 
space by concentration of the mind that it is 

363 



164 THE LIVING FIRE 

received by the subconscious mind of another, 
there transmitted to the brain, or conscious 
mind, of that person, causing him to act in ac- 
cordance therewith is indeed a wonderful 
power. 

I will record here one single instance in my 
own experience, of actual thought transfer- 
ence, which shows conclusively that the power 
exists and can be further developed to a won- 
derful degree. 

Some years ago while at work in a manu- 
facturing establishment where many others 
were employed, and-being somewhat inexperi- 
enced in that line of work, it became quite 
necessary that I obtain certain information 
regarding it, and I was minded to inquire of 
the lady next to m e who was more experienced, 
but being rather timid, hesitated to do so. 
So intense was my desire to ask the question 
and obtain the desired information that this 
thought dominated my mind to the exclusion 
of all others. As my desire for the knowl- 
edge increased my timidity increased also, 
and, after arguing the question in my mind 
for some minutes I had finally decided not to 



THE LATENT POWERS 165 

ask the question and to perform the work to 
the best of my ability and let it go at that. 

At this juncture the lady next to me of 
whom I desired to obtain the knowledge sud- 
denly addressed me, asking if I knew such 
and such things about the work, which were 
the very things I had been desiring to ask 
her. Upon my reply in the negative she then 
gave me the desired information without any 
request upon my part. 

I then said to her, "Anna, how did you hap- 
pen to tell me this just now when you had 
never spoken of it before?" She replied, "I 
don't know. I just happened to think of it 
and thought I would tell you." But I knew 
that the thought wave sent out from my mind 
by intense concentration had been received by 
her subconscious mind, transmitted to her 
conscious mind, and caused her to respond to 
my desire, although she was entirely uncon- 
scious of the cause, neither had I made any 
effort to influence her. 

But thought may be transfered consciously 
to both the sender and the recipient. 

Telepathy is more easily established be- 



166 TRE LIVING FIRE 

tween persons having a warm magnetic at- 
traction for each other. In order to practice 
telepathy you should first become en rapport 
with the person with whom you wish to com- 
municate. Do this by breathing together un- 
til you naturally fall into the' same rythm of 
breathing. In this way establish your tele- 
graph wire and then wherever you go you will 
extend that wire between you. 

Telepathy brings into action both the posi- 
tive and negative powers of the Soul, the posi- 
tive on the part of the one sending the mes- 
sage, and thp negative or receptive power on 
the part of the one receiving it, and if the ex- 
periment is not a success it may be the fault 
of either the sender or the receiver, and, for 
this reason, both should have been through a 
thorough training in occultism. The one who 
sends the message should have a thoroughly 
trained will so he may be able to concentrate 
sufficiently to project his thought upon the 
consciousness of his friend, and the one who 
is to receive the message must be able to put 
himself in a receptive condition. 

Having perfected the conditions decide upon 



THE LATENT POWERS 167 

the hour when your friend will listen for the 
message. Sit down at that hour and concen- 
trate your Will powerfully upon . any thought 
you desire to send. Use only a single thought 
at first to avoid confusion. Your friend may 
get it as a verbal message but more often it 
will come as an impression. Have your friend 
write down what he gets and see if it is cor- 
rect. Also have your friend project his own 
thought in the same manner and you try to 
catch it. By practice you will get so you can 
send and receive at the same time. 

TO PROJECT THE ASTRAL BODY 

When you retire at night lay upon your 
back, close your eyes and with the lids still 
closed roll your eyeballs toward the nose and 
slightly downward, as if trying to see your 
breath escaping from the nostrils. First give 
yourself a suitable suggestion as to the time 
you wish to awake, concentrate very strongly 
upon some friend whom you wish to visit and 
will that you shall appear to that friend. Keep 
your mind thus concentrated for several min- 
utes. Then imagine that you see your breath 



168 THE LIVING FIRE 

emanating from your nostrils as a white vapor. 
Continue this until you pass into the trance 
sleep, which greatly resembles natural sleep. 
If you have developed sufficient strength of 
will and are able to concentrate strongly 
enough you can make your presence known 
to your friend. 

Do not at first indulge this power too often. 
It is a strange power and proves the independ- 
ent action of the Soul. 

STATUVOLENCE, OR SOUL CONTROL 

The Soul is the real master of the body and 
should control it in every respect, and can do 
so by its one attribute of Will, if it is made 
strong by deep breathing and development; 
but it has to be taught to use its wonderful 
powers. The human Soul has invincible 
powers and is kept from using them only by 
ignorance. The Soul must learn to know and 
use its powers to do whatever it will, without 
physical instruments, with or without the 
material body. It must realize that it is a 
personal entity, a real and distinct being, and 
capable of acting independently of the body 



THE LATENT POWERS 169 

which it uses only as an instrument to express 
its Will. 

Statuvolence is a condition of the Soul con- 
trolling the body. This is done by making 
the body passive and the Soul active, or posi- 
tive, and is accomplished by concentration. 
The following is a good method: 

Relax the body and make it as passive as 
possible and the Soul calm and strong by its 
own Will-power. Then sit down in a quiet 
place, put the feet separate upon the floor 
with one hand upon each knee. Close the eyes 
and think of some distant object or place up- 
on the earth, or think of the moon, or some 
distant planet, and continue thinking of it and 
going towards it in your imagination until you 
can see it plainly. You must not remove your 
thoughts-from that place or thing but must 
think of that and nothing else until you forget 
all about the body, and are not conscious of 
any hurt or injury done to the body. 

By this process the Soul may leave the body 
in a healthy, passive condition, and soar away 
without it and go where it desires, by concen- 
trating its thought on that place and willing 
22 



170 THE LIVING FIRE 

to go there, and may see and describe persons 
and things and make such wonderful revela- 
tions as only a human soul can make. 

This is, without doubt, the condition of John, 
on the Isle of Patmos, when he was carried 
away in the Spirit. 

In this condition the Soul can leave the body, 
go and treat others by the power of Will. To 
do this the operator should first become stat- 
uvolent, all the time concentrating his will 
upon what he desires to do, and strongly will 
that he will do so and he will be able to do it. 

It is wonderful what the Soul can do, and 
see, and Know, while yet inhabiting and con- 
trolling the human body, and we know not 
how much more it may be able to do when 
free from its tenement of clay. None can 
limit the powers and capacities of the human 
Soul. 

THE PASSIVE POWERS OF THE SOUL 

The powers of the Soul are divided into two 
classes, the positive or active powers and the 
negative or passive powers. Heretofore we 
have given attention to the development of the 






THE LATENT POWERS 171 

positive powers, such as the development of 
the Will, Personal Magnetism, Telepathy, Pro- 
jection of the Astral Spirit, etc., but now we 
will take up the study of the passive powers 
and learn how to develop them. The passive 
powers are Psychometry, Clairvoyance, Clair- 
audience, Somnambulism, Intuition, Illumina- 
tion, etc., and may be developed after the 
student has perfected concentration. 

They are passive phenomena, introduced 
into the subconscious mind, and are not evoked 
by exercise of the Will. When the student is 
able to concentrate perfectly he will be able 
to become absolutely passive or receptive at 
Will, and then the phenomena of psychometry, 
clairvoyance, etc., will manifest itself to him 
if he so desires. ; 

PSYCHOMETRY, OR SOUL MEASURING 

In esoteric lore Psychometry is a new name 
for an old Science. It is the science of clear 
feeling. It is a wonderful faculty of the hu- 
man Soul and may developed in most persons 
by the proper training. 

The following is a good method for develop- 
ing this faculty : 



172 THE LIVING FIRE 

If the person to be read is present you 
should take his positive right hand in your 
negative left hand, because he gives off with 
his right hand, and you take on with your left 
hand; let both breathe together for a minute 
or so until both get into a passive condition with 
the current flowing from him to you. You 
will soon begin to feel mentally his condition, 
character and disease. Do not form any opin- 
ions of your own but just tell what you feel 
about his character, condition, or disease, his 
business or family. Simply tell what comes 
to you. A little practice in this way will soon 
perfect the psychometric powers of those who 
have any talent at all in this direction. All 
persons with large perception, intuition and 
passivity have the proper psychometric fac 
ulties. 

If the person is not present you must have 
some article recently handled by him and not 
touched by others, or a lock of hair. 

Whatever object you may be reading from 
always hold it in your left hand and sit passive 
as before described and speak or write down 
with your right hand whatever comes. 



THE LATENT POWERS 173 

CLAIRVOYANCE 

or clear seeing, or clear voyage, is the seeing 
of things near or distant, physical or spiritual, 
and is natural to some persons. Other per- 
sons may be made clairvoyant by the proper 
mesmeric treatment. It is one stage of mes- 
merism, but is more difficult to attain than 
the other stages. With some persons it re- 
quires great effort and unceasing trials. 
Many fail because they are easily discouraged 
by the first results or lack of results. In 
many cases it requires great perseverence 
and a resort to numerous agencies. 

Any person who wishes to become -clairvoy- 
ant should follow the instructions given for 
statuvolence. all the while earnestly desiring 
and directing his thoughts to that end. To be 
mesmerized by a good operator will often 
greatly aid in developing clairvoyance. It 
should be remembered that fear, doubt, ner- 
vous agitation, coarse habits, bad intent, and 
similar influences, will retard the student's 
progress, or render his efforts entirely worth- 
less. 



174 THE LIVING FIRE 

To develop clairvoyance, psychometry or 
any of the Soul's spiritual powers regularity 
in the sittings must be observed. You must 
sit as nearly as possible at the same hour every 
day, practice concentration ,to get into the 
proper receptive state and then take note of 
what you see or feel. 

CL AIRAUDIE NCE 

or clear hearing may be developed in the same 
way, only you seem to hear, not* a physical 
sound, but the voice of the spirit speaking 
within you. Clairaudience can be developed 
by practice the same as the other soul powers. 

INTUITION 

Intuition is the delicate appreciation of im- 
pressions received through the medium of the 
subtle or universal fluid acting upon the spirit 
of a human being. 

It is the soul's method of obtaining knowl- 
edge, and may relate to either the past, pres- 
ent or future. It is a knowing without the 
process of reasoning. 

It will be greatly developed by meditation 



THE LATENT POWERS 175 

and listening to the impressions received, and 
acting upon them. By observation and prac- 
tice you will soon get so you can depend upon 
your intuition to guide and direct you aright. 
Always if you wish information upon any sub- 
ject, concentrate strongly upon it at night be- 
fore going to sleep, and follow the impression 
received in the morning in regard to it. 



Healing 

•^pHERE exists in nature a universal and 
^ imperishable element which is not only 
the Creative Force, but also the Life Princi- 
ple and healing agent of the Universe. It is 
the infinite and eternal Spirit of Life, the liv- 
ing fire, which has been described in another 
chapter of this book. It is the "Elixir Vitse" 
of the Alchemists, the " Stone " of the Philoso- 
phers, and the Universal Medicine of the Oc- 
cultists. It is by means of this force that all 
healing is accomplished. No matter what the 
method of healing may be it is always by the 
use of this force that the work is done. There 
are many methods of administering this force, 
but it is within the scope of this work to con- 
sider only those which have to do with the 

9 

potency of Will and Magnetism. 

When you have developed your Will to a 
point where you can reconstruct the face of a 
friend perfectly, or cause a flower to grow in 
your mind, and can relieve pain in yourself 
you are then prepared to treat others. 
J 76 



HEALING 177 

Before giving a mental treatment either to 
yourself or to another always take the follow- 
ing exercises : 

1. Breathing on Full Lungs. — Take a 
long deep breath filling the lungs to the full- 
est capacity, then exhale just a little of the 
air, then inhale again as much as possible; re- 
peat several times before letting out the 
breath. This is for the purpose of taking on 
vital magnetism from the atmosphere. 

2. Extend either arm out in front, draw 
it slowly toward you tightening the -fingers 
and muscles slowly as you do so until the 
muscles become hard and rigid. Repeat sev- 
eral times, then repeat the operation with the 
other arm. Relax the muscles slowly. Then 
harden all the muscles in the body. This is 
for the purpose of freeing the magnetism. 
After practicing this for awhile you can feel 
the magnetic current moving through your 
body, and by an effort of the Will, you can 
send it to any part of the body, or you can pro- 
ject it from your eyes and fingers tips to 
others. You can then send streams of mag- 
netism into the body of your patient and heal 
him by a seeming miracle. 

23 



178 THE LIVING FIRE 

Shuffling over a carpet with the bare feet 
will also help to free the magnetism. When 
breathing you should think about it and see 
and feel the enrapturing power of Spirit fill- 
ing you to overflowing. As the magnet is in- 
creased in power by daily applications of elec- 
tricity so is the human being increased in 
power by breathing in the vital element of the 
Universe. 

To treat yourself, first place yourself in a 
Statuvolent condition and then make the prop- 
er auto-suggestions. The universal and all- 
pervading Spirit or Life principle is the real 
vitalizing and healing force, and the Will is the 
agent that directs its action through the sub- 
conscious mind. 

In healing yourself you must center the full 
force of your mind on health. Hold an image 
of yourself in your mind as a perfect expres- 
sion of God and never allow any thought of 
disease to enter. 

Eat your meals at a regular hour, retire to 
rest at a regular hour and when you retire 
place yourself in as comfortable a position as 
possible, relax all the muscles, make yourself 



HEALING 179 

feel as though you had not sufficient energy 
to move a muscle, close the eyes and fill the 
lungs as full of air as possible and hold your 
breath as long as you can. Do this a few 
times and you will soon begin to lose con- 
sciousness, will be going to sleep, and while 
in this semi-conscious state think intently 
that you will feel strong and invigorated when 
you awaken in the morning. Then during 
the day whenever your thoughts are not cen- 
tered upon you work center them on health, 
be cheerful and joyous, let the influx of Divine 
love flow into your heart and awaken your sonl 
to a consciousness of itself, of its Divine and 
Supreme power, PEEL that you are one with 
God, the Eternal Divine Essence, and that sin 
and disease shall be yours no more. 

HOW TO TREAT OTHERS 

To treat successfully by purely mental 
means you must first make your mind blank 
and then center your whole thought upon the 
patient, seeing him in your minds eye in a 
perfectly well and healthy condition. The 
mental healer raises his thought to the realm 



180 THE LIVING FIRE 

of perfection and heals by holding the patient 
in his thought as being absolutely perfect, 
and by so doing transmutes to him by virtue 
of his "Will, the vital force which is absorbed 
by the patient's subconscious mind and dis- 
tributed throughout the body for its rejuve- 
nation. The process is the same in either per- 
sonal or absent treatment. 

To successfully treat magnetically the pa- 
tient must be willing and desirous. Let the 
patient sit or lie down in a quiet or easy posi- 
tion becoming receptive. Then the healer 
should speak kindly and cheerfully and assur- 
ingly to them, sit down by their side with his 
right side to their right side, take their left 
hand in his right and their right hand in his 
left; look steadily at them and engage their at- 
tention so they will look at him ; gently press 
your fingers into the palm of the patient's 
hand until you can feel the pulse beat; be par- 
ticular to find this pulse as it connects directly 
with the sympathetic nerve. Then look stead- 
ily and earnestly into their eyes, concentrat- 
ing your mind upon them with all your power 
of Will and willing them and desiring them to 



HEALING 181 

become passive, and desiring to influence 
them. Hold steady, and gaze intently into 
their eyes until they feel your influence and 
lower their gaze or drop their eyelids and 
yield passively to your control. You should 
tell them to relax every muscle in their body; 
to try and feel that they are sinking down, 
down, down, and that they are going quietly 
to rest. Hold their hands and thus control 
them for about five minutes ; then make passes 
downward for a few minutes, passing off at 
the feet, and shaking it off the hands with a 
quick movement, or flip. The patient is now 
ready for whatever kind of magnetic treat- 
ment the nature and location of the disease 
may require. 

After throwing off the unhealthy magnetism 
by the passes, place your right hand to the 
weak place or part of the patient's body and 
the left hand above or opposite; hold your 
hands still for a few minutes, pressing quite 
firmly on the place and give mental sugges- 
tions that a cure will be effected, concentrate 
all your force of Will power on a cure and you 
will be successful. Have confidence in your- 



182 THE LIVING FIRE 

self and you will inspire confidence in your 
patient. If you have closely followed instruc- 
tion for preparing yourself to take up this 
grand work you KNOW that you will succeed. 
In making an oral or mental suggestion 
always make all the muscles of your body 
rigid. This gives force to the suggestion. 

The oral suggestion is not always necessary. 
The healer must use his own judgment as to 
when to make oral suggestions. Many claim 
that all cures are effected by Will power or 
suggestion thattheie is no such thing as mag- 
netism, but from my own personal experience 
in treating disease I know this is not the case. 
I have successfully treated cases simply by 
the "laying on of hands " without making any 
suggestions, either oral or mental, and also 
when the patient had no faith in the treatment 
to begin with. But sometimes suggestion is 
necessary, especially when the disease is in 
the mind instead of the body. The operator 
should always bear a kindly feeling toward 
the patient. I once had the care of a woman 
for a time who had become mentally deranged 
from disease and the administration of opiates. 



HEALING 183 

She imagined that her arms and hands were 
full of tacks. She told me that her daughter 
had put tacks in her arms and that she could 
not get them out. I told her I would get 
them out for her, and I took her hands and 
gently stroked them downward, telling her I 
was getting them out. After continuing for 
a few moments I said to her: "See! they are 
all out now." She ne\er mentioned tacks 
again except to tell how I had picked them out 
for her. But I have cured cases of pain with 
only the passes and without any suggestions 
of any kind. 

In fevers and general inflammation, you do 
not need to touch the patient, but continue the 
the whole treatment by making passes near 
them from head to feet, and pass off all fever 
and heat at the feet. In local inflammation, 
pains, swelling, gatherings, sores, etc, that 
have just commenced, you can scatter them 
by hold the right hand on the bare flesh over 
the place, and your left hand opposite or below, 
or to their right hand; but in all advanced in- 
flammations, pains, swellings, gatherings, 
sores, etc, draw the disease out by holding 



184 THE LIVING FIRE 

your left hand on the place next to the skin 
or if the sore is open and running, place a wet 
cloth over it and place your hand on that, or 
you may hold your hand close to the skin with- 
out touching, and your right hand to their left, 
hold still for about half an hour when a few 
treatments will cure the disease. 

If you want to pull down, as in fevers, place 
your left hand below and your right hand 
above; but if you want to pull up, put your 
left hand above and your right hand below. 

The right hand is positive and the left nega- 
tive, except in left handed persons when it is 
changed right around, the left hand being 
positive and the right hand negative. 

Persons can treat themselves for many 
local difficulties by applying their own right 
hand to a weak place, or their left hand to a 
swollen or painful place to pull it out, or may 
apply their right hand to scatter it, and may 
make general passes down over the place, or 
may make full-length passes down for fever 
or inflammation. 

The skilled operator may direct his magne- 
tism and concentrate it on and into the sub- 



HEALING 185 

ject by his own Will power, by looking into the 
subject's eyes, and by pleasant words directed 
to the subject with the purpose to influence; 
and he can do more by mind or thought passes, 
directed to and down over the subject's head 
and upper part of his body. These mental 
passes downward will assist to put power on 
the subject, and mental passes upward will 
assist to take the power off. Thus persons 
can be magnetized and demagnetized as may 
be necessary. The upward passes should 
always be made before leaving the patient so 
that no bad effect will result. 

The power of spirit is a wonderful power 
and may be used to prevent sickness, cure 
disease, instruct the intellect, purify the soul, 
and make perfected man immortal. 

Religion and science united can save soul 
and body both; but either alone can save 
neither. 

When a double poiver is needed to heal the 
sick or control the vicious it may be obtained 
by connecting your left hand to your right 
wrist, take full deep breaths, concentrate, 
hold in, and throw out a double power through 
24 



186 THE LIVING FIRE 

your right hand. In this way your power 
runs around in a circle through the body and 
brain, until the power becomes so great that 
you can throw it out with double force through 
the right hand, making an irresistible and in- 
vincible power which the subject can feel, and 
see and hear. They can feel the power so 
strong that they will know it is something, 
and will readily believe it is spirit power; and 
they can see its light so plain that they will 
readily believe it is spirit light; and they can 
hear its sound like a rushing wind and will 
readily believe it is spirit power in motion; 
and it will really be spirit power, light, and 
sound, and not a delusion or imagination. 
There is nothing more real than spirit. 

A double portion of spirit can be applied 
doubly in the double manner above described, 
and may be so applied as to correct, and heal, 
and develop, and exalt both body and soul. 

You can also employ this power to heal per- 
sons at a distance if you have something from 
them or they something from you, as a letter 
or some other article, to establish the spirit 
connection. This should be done immediately 



HEALING 187 

after taking the breathing exercise. Send 
the spirit power along the spirit telegraph 
line, and operate on them by spirit power, 
action and Will, just as if they were present. 

TREATMENT OF DISEASE BY AUTO-SUGGES- 
TION DURING NATURAL SLEEP 

The treatment of disease during natural 
sleep is a very easy method as well as an effec- 
tive one. The first thing to do is to get into 
communication with the sleeper and when this 
is done your suggestions will be readily taken. 
You can suggest that at a certain time next 
day they will go to sleep (you can utilize that 
sleep to give another treatment) and they will 
do so. Or you can give them such suggestions 
as will cure them of sickness, make them 
cease the use of tobacco, or cause them to ab- 
hor intoxicating liquors. In fact you can cure 
them of bad habits and make them lovable. 

Children can be treated during their natural 
sleep and made better in every way. They 
can be broken of all bad habits, can be made 
to enjoy their studies, and be made industri- 
ous. If parents would but follow these in- 



188 THE LIVING. FIRE 

structions it would seldom, if ever, be neces- 
sary to punish their children. 

HOW TO ESTABLISH COMMUNICATION DURING 
NATURAL SLEEP 

The best person to do this is one who is ac- 
customed to the sleeper. 

If the subject is a child the mother is 
usually the proper person, if a wife, the hus- 
band, and vice versa. 

Go to the sleeper quietly, speak in a low 
gentle tone for a few seconds so as to accus- 
tom the sleeper to your voice. If possible, 
gently stroke the sleeper's head, then talk as 
follows: "Now do not awaken; you. are sleep- 
ing nicely; a deep sound sleep and you will 
not waken up. You will understand all that I 
say to you and will do just as I tell you." 

Now you will find it well to suggest that 
they will dream a very pleasant dream and 
that they will awaken in a few moments and 
tell you all about it and will then go into a deep 
sleep again. This is to prove to you that you 
have established communication, and if they 
do this you may be sure that all your 



HEALING 189 

suggestions will be taken. When they are 
asleep again give the suggestions you wish; 
not in a commanding manner but by reason. 
For example; if a man is addicted to strong 
drink, say to him : "Now I do not want you 
to drink strong liquors, naming them, because 
it will hurt you and ruin you. You know it 
will ruin you. You will not drink it because 
you know it is wrong and will ruin you utterly. 
If you attempt to drink it again it will make 
you sick and you will despise it." To prove 
that these suggestions have been taken you 
can make some suggestion to be carried out 
the following day. Anything a little out of 
the ordinary yet that will not excite suspicion, 
such as; "Wind the clock in the morning," 
"take a second cup 'of coffee for breakfast." 
Anything that is out of the ordinary and of so 
little consequence that attention will not be 
attracted. 

It is very easy to get into communication 
with persons who talk in their sleep by talk- 
ing on the subject of which they speak and by 
degrees and in a natural way bring the convert 
sation around to the subject in which you are 



190 'THE LIVING FIRE 

interested. With the use of this method wives 
may often completely cure the bad habits in 
husbands without their knowledge and there^ 
by make happy homes. In some cases great 
patience and perseverence are required, but 
by persistent effort success will eventually 
crown your efforts, so do not become dis- 
couraged. 



Magnetic Equilibrium 

^pHE ASTRAL LIGHT, or fire of the Uni- 
*- verse, -is the great magical agent or sec- 
ret of power by means of which everything is 
accomplished. It is a subtle, ever-attractive 
agent and a blind force which may be subor- 
dinated to the human Will, whether for good 
or evil. It is a fire which will elevate us to 
heaven or plunge us into hell accordingly as 
we control it for good or use it for evil and be- 
come subordinated to it. It is the universal 
seducer — the generative principle of the body. 
Sexual love or lust is an intoxication of the 
Astral Light in the individual and is the ser- 
pent in the Garden of Eden, which must be 
conquered by the Will. It is the instrument 
of initiation, the monster to be overcome, the 
enemy to subdue. In religious doctrine this 
torrent of universal life is represented as the 
"fires of hell." It is the Siva of the Hindus, 
the Satan or Devil of the Christians, and the 
Transformer or Regenerator of the Wisdom 

Religion. 

191 



192 THE LIVING FIRE 

The Astral Light directs the instincts of 
animals and offers battle to the Will of man, 
which it strives to pervert by the enticements 
of its reflections and the illusions of its images. 
That is, it operates through the lower nature, 
or desires and passions of man, luring him in- 
to the world of pleasure and sense. This 
operation is made still more fatal and calami- 
tous by the elementary spirits, whose rest- 
less wills seek out the weaknesses of our na- 
tures and tempt us, not so much to destroy us 
as to win friends for themselves. 

Those who delight to pursue the reflections 
in the Astral Light are subjected to it, and it 
is by means of these reflections that impure 
spirits and the elementals can act upon hu- 
man souls and use them, and even torment 
their organism by obsession. To overcome 
these conditions we must set the stamp of the 
Will upon them. We must isolate ourselves 
from the fatal currents of the Astral Light by 
practice of the four cardinal virtues — Tem- 
perance, Fortitude, Prudence, and Justice. 
We must impose absolute tranquility on mind 
and heart, quit the world of passion and ac- 



MAGNETIC EQUILIBRIUM 193 

quire an inflexible Will. To direct the Astral 
Light we must also understand its double vi- 
bration as well as the balance of forces termed 
magnetic equilibrium. Magnetic equilibrium 
is one of the first conditions of success in the 
operations of occult science. It explains the 
great and primeval mystery of the existence 
and relative necessity of evil. There must be 
the two opposing forces. Equilibrium pro- 
duces stability and duration. In the Macro- 
cosm magnetic equilibrium is the Will of God 
or the Universal Will; in man it is liberty ; in 
matter it is mathematical equilibrium. In 
ideas it is reason ; in force it is power. Liberty 
generates the immortality of man, and the 
Will of God gives effect to the laws of eternal 
reason. Equilibrium is exact; it is the bal- 
ance between cause and effect; fulfill its law 
and it is there; violate it in the least and it is 
destroyed. Perfect equilibrium is the exact 
balancing of the two opposing forces, and is 
absolute liberty which is omnipotence. 

By the law of analogy we know that what- 
ever is in the Macrocosm, or great world, is 
reproduced in the Microcosm, or little world. 
25 




194 THE LIVING FIRE 

In the Microcosm, or man, there are three 
centers of fluidic attraction— the brain, the 
heart, or the great sympathetic, and the geni- 
tal organ. Each of these centers has a dual 
action — that of attraction and repulsion. 
Here again we also have equilibrium, for each 
attracts on one side and repels on the other 
with the point of equilibrium between. It is 
by means of these organs that we place our- 
selves in communication with the universal 
or magnetic fluid transmitted into us by the 
nervous system. When the Adept is suffi- 
ciently developed be can communicate and di- 
rect at will the magnetic vibrations of the As- 
tral Light. By the aid of these vibrations he 
can influence the nervous system of persons 
who become subject to his Will. 

To know how to avail one's self of the magi- 
cal agent is to become a Magus. To do this 
two things are necessary — to concentrate and 
diffuse. To collect and diffuse are the two 
operations of Nature. Concentration is by 
isolation and distribution by the Magic Chain. 
Isolation consists in absolute independence of 
thought; complete liberty for the heart and 



MAGNETIC EQUILIBRIUM 195 

perfect continence for the senses. That is, to 
free the higher self from the desires and temp- 
tations of the lower nature. Every man who 
is possessed by prejudices and fears, every 
passionate person who is the slave of his pas- 
sions, is incapable of concentrating the Astral 
Light or soul of the earth. All true Adepts 
must be independent even amidst torture — 
sober and chaste until death. In order to 
govern or dispose of a force you must not 
allow yourself to be surprised by it or it may 
dispose of you. 

The Astral Light, subordinated to a blind 
mechanism, and proceeding from automatic 
centres works mathematically, following given 
impulsions or inevitable laws ; the human light 
is subject to intelligence, submitted to the im- 
agination and dependent on the Will. The 
body absorbs that which surrounds it, and con- 
stantly radiates by projecting its influence 
and invisible molecules. The same is true of 
the spirit. This is why disease is contagious, 
but health is just as contagious as ■ disease. 
This is also why crime is so rampant in the 
great cities and why it seems to sweep over 



196 THE LIVING FIRE 

the whole country in waves. The circle of 
attraction and expansion which surrounds the 
evil-minded is contaminating to all who come 
within it unless they have attained complete 
self-mastery. 

The Astral Light is the blind force that each 
Soul must overcome in order to be free from 
the chains of earth ; for, unless its Will can de- 
tach it from this fatal attraction, it will be ab 
sorbed in the current by the force which pro- 
duced it and thus return to the central eter- 
nal fire. To subdue the serpent, or, govern 
the Astral Light, we must place ourselves 
outside its currants. To allow ourseves to be 
drawn down by this whirling stream is to de- 
scend into hell ; to expel the chaotic darkness 
and force it to give perfect form to our 
thoughts is to be a genius; to be victorious 
over hell. 

THE MAGIC CHAIN 

A great work in practical Magic is the for- 
mation of the Magic Chain. To form the 
Magic Chain is to originate a current of ideas 
which produces faith and draws a large num- 



MAGNETIC EQUILIBRIUM 19? 

ber of persons in a given circle of active mani- 
festation. It is to establish a magnetic cur- 
rent, which becomes stronger in proportion 
to the extent of the chain, or the number of 
persons acting in unison. 

The Magus can, in concurrence with other 
Wills or Minds acting in unison, act upon the 
mass of the Astral Light and determine great 
and irresistible magnetic currents, or chains^ 
This is the manner in which things or per^ 
sons become popular or unpopular. 

The Astral "Light also condenses or rarities 
in proportion as currents accumulate, more 
or less at certain centers. When it is defi* 
cient in the energy required for the support 
of life, diseases, accompanied by sudden de^ 
composition, are apt to follow. 

Whenever any society practices anything 
in common which produces enthusiasm, a 
magic or magnetic chain is formed. The ac- 
tion of the current is to exalt those persons 
who possess a sensitive organism. Such per- 
sons become powerful vehicles of magical 
force and can project the Astral Light in the 
direction of the current. Many persons act- 



198 THE LIVING FIRE 

ing in unison can thus generate a much great- 
er power than one alone. It will act for good 
or evil according to the nature of the Wills be- 
hind it that produce the moving force. 

Magic Circles and magnetic currents often 
establish themselves and exert an influence 
upon those who come in contact with them. 
Every person is drawn within a circle of re- 
lations which constitutes his world to which 
he becomes subject. We should aim to estab- 
lish our own circles instead of being drawn 
into those established by others and which 
may be less favorable for us. 

The movement^ of the Astral Light is always 
double, and this is the law of magnetic 
currents. Action and reaction are of equal 
magnitude, and the secret of phenomenal suc- 
cess, consists in a foreknowledge of reaction. 
It is folly to oppose alone and single-handed, 
a strong magnetic current. Wait until it has 
spent its force then take the lead in the oppo- 
site direction. Stagnation in the Astral Light 
would mean death to the human race. This 
universal agent, or solvent of the universe, is 
the common medium of all organisms, the ve- 



MAGNETIC EQUILIBRIUM 199 

hide of all. sensible vibrations, and is the me- 
dium of transmission of thought between im 
pressionable persons. 

The Magic Chain may be established in three 
ways — by signs, by speech and by contact, 

The first is by adopting some sign to rep- 
resent a force. Once accepted and propagated^ 
signs acquire force of. themselves. To ex^ 
plain by a very simple illustration: 

The skull and cross-bones have been accept^ 
ed and propagated as the sign of death, and 
whenever or whereever that sign appears the 
beholder instantly recognizes it as a danger 
.signal. 

Again take the sign or emblem of any sec- 
ret society or fraternal organization and it 
will be recognized in any part of the world by 
anyone who is familiar with it, and it will at- 
tract to itself all those who are in sympathy 
with the principles it represents. 

The second method is by speech or writing, 
The ancients typified the magnetic chain of 
speech by chains of gold. The astral light is 
projected by glance and by voice. No musical 
instrument can equal the human voice in en- 



200 THE LIVING FIRE 

chantment. Eloquence is electrical, arid a 
single word will often change the fate of a na- 
tion. Every orator forms a magnetic chain 
among his hearers which will be large or 
small according to the amount of energy and 
magnetic force he puts into his speech. 

In fact all of us are constantly forming mag^ 
netic currents and drawing others within the 
radius of our Circle by the unconscious pro* 
jection of our influence. We are the center 
of that Circle which is constantly changing, 
If we do so unconsciously, and without reason, 
why not form the circle by our conscious acts 
and with a definite purpose in view for the 
benefit of ourselves and those who come with- 
in it? 

Printing is an admirable instrument for the 
formation of the Magic Chain by the extension 
of speech. Nothing is lost, and books and 
writings find their way into the hands of those 
who need and appreciate them. 

The third and best method of establishing 
the Magic Chain 'is by contact. The Astral 
Light is projected by touch. And this was 
the method by which the highest rites of ini- 



MAGNETIC EQUILIBRIUM 201 

tiation into the ancient mysteries were com- 
pleted. "It is the special virtue by which in 
both ancient and modern magic the potential 
powers of the magical element in man is 
awakened. No methods have ever been found 
so potent for kindling up the most exalted 
fires of the soul, or transmuting its latent 
powers into active operation, as the "laying 
on of hands," or the magnetic manifestations 
of powerful, well-intentioned magnetizers, the 
infusion of the vital forces of a mighty and 
highly charged adept into the organism of a 
susceptible and receptive subject. This was 
the last grand act of initiation in the highest 
temple rites of old. It is the potent spell by 
which the Hindu Fakeers obtain from their 
Master minds the seal upon their magical 
studies. The Patriarchal act of blessing, the 
initiatory rites of the Jewish Priesthood, the 
Apostolic law. of communicating virtue, was 
all wrought by the "laying on of hands." 



Conclusion 

^PHE aim of every true student of nature's 
■* magic is to learn to know himself and 
by knowing himself to learn to know God. 
The true God is within the heart of man and 
he who would find him must seek for him 
there. He must turn his gaze inward, rise 
above the atmosphere of Self into the realm 
of Divine Love and Truth and then he will be 
able to see the Image of God in his own Soul. 
The man who is enslaved by his passions 
or worldly prejudices can never be truly ini- 
tiated; he must overcome these or he can 
never attain. Man is what he really wills him- 
self to be. He becomes king of the brutes 
only by subduing or training them ; otherwise 
he will be their victim. Brutes are the types 
of his passions, the instinctive forces of na- 
ture. The world is a field of battle where lib- 
erty struggles with inertja by the opposition 
of active force. Physical laivs are millstones; 
you must be either the miller or the grain. You 
must overcome and control the instinctive 
202 



r 



CONCLUSION 203 

forces of nature or be governed by them. 
The only way to become the master is by 
learning to obey. He who obeys the laws of 
nature and acts as her servant becomes the 
master of nature and renders her obedient to 
him. He who obeys the Divine laws of God 
and is the true servant of God, will come into 
possession of Divine power and will find the 
God within himself. 

The law of God is working in you and in 
everything and all are bound together in one 
great whole. Your power lies in finding that 
law, which is finding God. You must find God 
in finding yourself and find yourself in finding 
God or your life will be of little value to you. 
You must find the God within yourself. No 
one can find Him for you. To learn to conquer 
self, or to overcome the animal nature, is to 
learn to live. Man only begins to exist as a 
spiritual being when his spirit is awakened. 

Natural Magic is the art of exercising that 
spiritual power within one's self which enables 
his awakened spirit to control the living ele- 
ments. This power can be acquired only by 
self-control and in no other way. 



u^ 



204 THE LIVING FIRE 

To call up a devil means to give way to an 
evil thought; to vanquish him is to success- 
fully resist a temptation to evil. The contro 
of the emotions is the difficult struggle which 
all must undergo. The emotions are the ele- 
mental forces of nature and must be held in 
obedience by the Will. 

True illumination comes by rising above the 
atmosphere of self. The instruction is given 
to "Sink your thoughts downward into the 
center of your being and you will find there a 
germ, which if continually nourished by pure 
and holy thoughts, will grow into a power that 
will extend and ramify through all your body. 
Your hands and feet and your interior organs 
will become alive; a sun will appear within your 
heart and illuminate your whole being. In 
this light you will see the present, the past 
and the future, and by its aid you will attain 
the true knowledge of self." 

He who succeeds in merging his own con- 
sciousness with the Divine consciousness re- 
ceives the baptism of fire and is ordained a 
priest and a king. He has transmuted the 
base metals (lower desires) into pure gold 



CONCLUSION 205 

(love). In order to overcome you must learn 
to live in the world and be not of it. 

To point the way I have written. Let him 
who would follow the Path learn to use the 
golden key. It will, if taken in hand, unlock 
every door. It has three parts, Knowledge, 
Power, and obedience. The part which turns 
in the lock is Knowledge, the Stem is Power, 
the handle Obedience. You must learn to 
know the law, to attain power by developing 
the Will and to govern by being obedient. 

He who follows the instructions given in 
this book has taken only the first steps on the 
Path to discovery. The discouragements 
which you will meet are only the first trials of 
your will power upon the full exercise of 
which your triumphs depend. Pail in these 
things and you fail in all; succeed and your 
reward will be exceedingly great. 



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